Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Thursday informed the National Assembly that the government was strengthening the country’s cybersecurity framework to address the growing threat of digital fraud and cybercrime.
Responding to questions during the Question Hour, the minister said incidents related to financial fraud and agenda-driven cybercrime had increased significantly due to rapid technological advancement and growing digital connectivity.
She informed the House that the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) had been established to deal with cybercrime in a more specialized and effective manner.
The minister said cybercrime was previously handled by the cyber wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), but the increasing complexity of digital crimes required a more dedicated institutional mechanism.
Shaza Fatima said the Ministry of Interior was further strengthening the agency to improve its capacity to investigate and respond to emerging cyber threats.
She said the Ministry of Information Technology and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) were also playing their role through public awareness campaigns and issuance of cybersecurity advisories.
The minister said the National Computer Emergency Response Team (National CERT) regularly issued advisories urging citizens not to share PIN codes, one-time passwords (OTPs) and other sensitive information.
She said most incidents involving hacked WhatsApp accounts and compromised bank accounts occurred when users shared their OTPs or PINs with fraudsters.
Shaza Fatima emphasized that public awareness was a critical component in preventing cybercrime and protecting digital users.
She informed the House that Pakistan previously did not have a National CERT, but the institution had been established during the current government’s tenure.
The minister added that provincial CERTs had also been formed to strengthen cyber security coordination and response mechanisms across the country.
Responding to a supplementary question, she agreed that greater digital awareness campaigns were needed and said PTA was actively working on public messaging initiatives despite resource limitations.
She said the government had partnered with Meta last year for awareness campaigns and planned to collaborate with TikTok this year to expand digital literacy and cyber safety outreach among the public.
Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Thursday informed the National Assembly that Pakistan’s IT exports were witnessing consistent growth due to government-led reforms, digital skills programmes and policy support aimed at strengthening the country’s technology sector.
Responding to questions during the Question Hour, the minister said Pakistan’s IT exports had been growing by around 20 percent annually over the last several years.
She informed the House that when the incumbent government assumed office, IT exports stood at around $2.4 billion, adding that the figure was expected to cross $4.5 billion during the current fiscal year.
Shaza Fatima credited the growth to the government’s “whole-of-government approach” under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which prioritized the IT sector and facilitated exporters through policy incentives.
The minister said the IT sector remained the only export-oriented industry operating under a final tax regime, adding that companies registered with the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) were subject to only 0.5 percent tax on exports, while non-registered entities paid one percent tax.
She said the government was annually imparting digital and high-tech skills training to more than 500,000 youth, emphasizing that the country’s growing human resource capacity was the key driver behind rising IT exports.
The minister said reforms had also been introduced in training programmes, under which employability had been made a key performance indicator for the release of public funds.
She added that international certifications and third-party evaluations had also been made mandatory for training initiatives, resulting in improved outcomes.
According to the minister, a third-party evaluation of advanced training programmes showed an employability rate of 82 percent, which she termed higher than international benchmarks.
Highlighting facilitation measures for the IT industry, she said the government had established a 24/7 facilitation centre through PSEB and simplified business registration procedures.
She said the time required for PSEB registration had been reduced from 90 days to just nine minutes.
The minister further informed the House that IT companies were being allowed 50 percent dollar retention in special foreign currency accounts, while the State Bank of Pakistan had removed several regulatory hurdles, including restrictions related to Form-E.
Shaza Fatima said companies had also been permitted to invest through Roshan Digital Accounts at the directions of the prime minister.
She said over 250 IT companies had participated in international roadshows over the last two years, while 10 Special Technology Parks and 50 e-Rozgar Centres had been established across the country.
She added that women-specific technology parks had also been set up in Azad Jammu and Kashmir to promote female participation in the digital economy.
Responding to supplementary questions regarding internet services, the minister said Pakistan’s international connectivity had improved with the landing of three submarine cables in recent years.
She said fibre-optic connectivity across the country had expanded significantly, adding that fibre-based household connections had increased from 1.9 million in 2024 to 5.1 million within two years.
The minister said the government was implementing a National Fiberization Policy and had abolished right-of-way charges to accelerate broadband infrastructure development.
She further informed the House that 5G services had entered the rollout phase and pilot services were already available in major areas of Islamabad.
Shaza Fatima said separate monitoring systems for urban and rural internet quality were also being introduced to bridge the digital divide. The minister said the government had set a target of achieving $15 billion in IT exports along with an additional $10 billion contribution through digital transformation initiatives.
She said efforts were underway to accelerate the sector’s annual growth rate from 20 percent to 30 percent through extraordinary interventions, including artificial intelligence acceleration and implementation of a national AI policy.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Secretary for the Petroleum Division, Mian Khan Bugti, on Thursday informed the National Assembly that the government of Pakistan is making continuous efforts to provide relief to the public despite difficult global and regional conditions.
Moreover, the National Assembly on Thursday witnessed the introduction of two bills. The bills introduced included the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2026 and the Sea Carriage Shipping Documents Bill, 2026.
Meanwhile, a report of the Standing Committee on Defence was also laid before the House on the Bill to amend the Pakistan Airports Authority Act, 2023, titled the Pakistan Airports Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026.