Director General of Pakistanโs National CERT, Dr. Haider Abbas, TI, presented a groundbreaking and actionable strategy for fostering cybersecurity collaboration among member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) during an international workshop held at the COMSTECH Secretariat in Islamabad. The workshop, titled “Cybersecurity Landscape in OIC Countries: Issues and Prospects,” was jointly organized by COMSTECH, the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, and Huawei Technologies.
The event served as a platform for representatives from OIC countries’ CERTs, policymakers, and industry leaders to discuss pressing cybersecurity challenges and devise strategies to counter emerging threats in the digital domain. The highlight of the workshop was Dr. Abbasโs presentation of a comprehensive Collaboration Framework aimed at enhancing cybersecurity resilience across OIC member states.
Dr. Abbasโs framework emphasized three key areas: facilitating real-time exchange of threat intelligence and best practices among member states, enhancing technical skills and expertise through targeted training programs and resource-sharing initiatives, and enabling swift and coordinated incident response measures to address cybersecurity breaches effectively. His proposals aimed to build a robust, cooperative cybersecurity ecosystem that empowers OIC countries to tackle the growing sophistication of cyber threats.
“๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ข๐ฏ ๐ช๐ด ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ช๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ค๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ฃ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ ๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ด๐ต๐ข๐ต๐ฆ๐ด. ๐๐ฐ๐จ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ, ๐ธ๐ฆ ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ต๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ค๐ต๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐ง๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ณ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ค๐บ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด๐ฆ๐ค๐ถ๐ณ๐ช๐ต๐บ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ด ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐จ๐ฆ๐ด,” stated Dr. Abbas during his presentation.
The frameworkโs emphasis on real-time threat intelligence sharing was particularly well-received, as it highlighted the importance of proactive measures in identifying and neutralizing cyber risks. Dr. Abbas stressed that such collaboration could significantly reduce the time it takes to mitigate threats and prevent large-scale cyber incidents.
In addition to the technical aspects, the framework also underscored the importance of capacity building. By sharing resources and expertise, member states could address skill gaps and enhance their collective ability to safeguard critical infrastructure. The strategy proposed establishing joint training programs and workshops to foster a culture of continuous learning and adaptation in the face of rapidly evolving cyber threats.
The workshop participants widely commended the proposed framework for its pragmatic approach and actionable steps. Many praised the vision of a united front against cybersecurity threats, recognizing that collaboration and knowledge-sharing are vital to addressing challenges in the increasingly interconnected digital world.
Huawei Technologies, as a co-organizer of the workshop, reinforced the importance of public-private partnerships in addressing cybersecurity challenges. The company highlighted its commitment to working with governments and organizations to develop innovative solutions and ensure a secure digital environment.
The event also addressed the broader implications of the proposed framework, including its potential to dismantle barriers to cybersecurity cooperation and establish consistent standards across the OIC region. Participants noted that such initiatives could also pave the way for long-term economic growth by fostering a secure environment for digital innovation and e-commerce.
However, challenges to implementation were also acknowledged. Some participants pointed out the varying levels of technological infrastructure and resources among OIC member states, which could pose hurdles to seamless collaboration. Dr. Abbas assured the gathering that these challenges could be addressed through phased implementation and a focus on inclusivity.
The proposed Collaboration Framework is seen as a significant step toward enhancing cybersecurity resilience within the OIC community. As cyber threats continue to grow in scale and sophistication, the need for such initiatives has become more urgent than ever. With widespread support and a commitment to collective action, the vision presented by Pakistanโs National CERT under Dr. Abbasโs leadership is expected to shape the future of cybersecurity collaboration in the OIC region.
As the workshop concluded, participants expressed optimism about the potential of the proposed strategy to create a safer digital future for the OIC member states. National CERT reaffirmed its commitment to advancing cybersecurity cooperation and ensuring that the digital landscape remains secure and resilient in the face of evolving threats.
