On Wednesday, Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Dr Umar Saif said that protecting Pakistan’s cyberspace under the PECA Act is very important. “Cybercrime, online buying and selling, cyberbullying, protection of online data, other services of our citizens, identification of threats and effective action against criminals is our core responsibility,” he said in his address as chief guest at the prize distribution ceremony of Digital Pakistan Cybersecurity Hackathon. The event was organized by the National Technology Fund (Ignite), the Ministry of IT Telecom organisation. Dr Umar Saif further said that there was no specific organization to act against cybercrime, so a cybercrime wing was created in FIA to look after these issues. “We have established a separate agency called the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency equipped with all the required equipment and skills,” he said. The minister said that, gradually, the Authority to act against cybercrime is being transferred from the FIA Cybercrime wing to this particular organization, which will be able to take effective action against cybercrime. He believed that with Pakistan’s cyberspace, data of public and private institutions, business transactions, and citizens’ online activities could be secured effectively. The IT Minister said that the first National Cyber Emergency Response Team (National CERTS) has also been established in Pakistan, and Sectoral CERTS will be formed under this organization. In other words, the government of Pakistan has created an entire infrastructure under an effective strategy against cybercrimes, which is being rapidly implemented to make it fully functional. Dr Umar Saif extended his gratitude to all participants, sponsors, and organizers who played an instrumental role in making the Digital Pakistan Cybersecurity Hackathon an undeniable success. He also lauded the efforts of Team IGNITE to hold training workshops and hackathons since October. “The significance of events like these cannot be overstated; they are pivotal in fostering innovation and collaboration within cybersecurity. In our increasingly digital world, the prevalence of malware and malicious attacks underscores the critical importance of cybersecurity. The evolving nature of cyber threats necessitates constant innovation to outpace malicious actors,” Dr Saif added. He said that, as informed, 6 teams represented Pakistan at Blackhat’s cybersecurity competition in Saudi Arabia this year, and 4 of them were ranked in the top 35 teams out of 250 international teams who participated in the event. He termed it an excellent first step by Pakistan and Ignite and said, “I hope we have at least one team in the top 10 teams at next year’s Blackhat competition.” Recognizing the need for robust collaboration, the IT Minister emphasizes the importance of a partnership between the government, private sector, and academia. The private sector’s support for cybersecurity initiatives is pivotal, and the government encouraged ongoing collaboration to fortify our cybersecurity defences. In his welcome address, Chief Executive Officer IGNITE, Mr Asim Shehryar Hussain, said that the IT Ministry and Ignite are on a relentless pursuit of identifying and nurturing talent capable of thwarting malicious cyber attempts on our national networks. “Our progress is evident in establishing operational readiness for Pakistan’s National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT) and the imminent institutionalization of a Cyber Security Authority. Creating awareness about cybersecurity among the public is paramount,” he said. Earlier, Ignite successfully conducted the scheduled hands-on training sessions in 10 cities, complemented by a special 3-day training session tailored for government sector employees in Islamabad. Moreover, regional hackathon rounds were conducted in Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, and Islamabad. It is worth mentioning that before the awards ceremony, 21 teams from 6 cities were vying for cash awards totalling Rs. 3mn and contested each other in a grand finale. Furthermore, hands-on training session participants received Rs. 6mn vouchers, with awards extended to the top 50 individuals. This comprehensive program underscored our commitment to skill development and innovation, fostering collaboration across various sectors. Notably, the top three winning teams from last year’s hackathon have already been granted international sponsorship. These teams secured their positions in the Black Hat Me competition held in November 2023 in Riyadh, KSA. This achievement reflects the high calibre of our participants and the success of our ongoing initiatives.