ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Monday inaugurated Pakistan’s first ever National Center for Cyber Security at Air University. Wile addressing the inaugural ceremony, he stated that the government would eradicate terrorism from the land, and claimed that terrorism had decreased compared to when the PML-N came to power in 2013. It was evident that peace had been restored in the country, he argued. He remarked that the government made the National Action Plan and also launched a full-fledged operation against terrorism. He promised that they would continue their efforts till the complete eradication of terrorism. Ahsan appreciated the role of the nation, the armed forces, the police and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in the war against terrorism. He also said that besides sacrificing thousands of precious lives, the country’s economy also suffered a big loss. He said that peace in the country was an important precursor for development, just like oxygen was crucial for human life. “We have to maintain unity and solidarity among our ranks to achieve the desired results,” he stated. He claimed that some elements were spreading violence and causing hindrance in the country’s development, but they would not succeed. He stressed that every nation faces challenges in the development process and Pakistan was on its way towards success. He said that the establishment of the National Center for Cyber Security was his dream which had now come true. The minister said, before that, the government had also laid the foundation of Center of Mathematical Sciences at PIAS. Center of excellence for artificial intelligence cyber security and robotics were also being established in the country to prepare it to cope with future demands and challenges, he claimed. Due to disturbed security situations and weaker economic policies, the country had suffered. The center is aimed at protecting Pakistan’s digital assets in cyberspace, producing high-quality workforce in cybersecurity and establishing Pakistan cybersecurity industry.