The Institute of Regional Studies and the Pakistan National Cyber Emergency Response Team have signed a memorandum to formalize a cybersecurity partnership that aims to boost research, training and institutional coordination across Pakistan. Senior officials from both organisations attended the signing, underscoring the priority of strengthening national capabilities against evolving digital threats.
Ambassador Jauhar Saleem highlighted that cybersecurity has become a central pillar of national security, shaping economic stability, governance and societal resilience. He described the collaboration as a necessary convergence of policy-oriented research and technical expertise, with the Institute of Regional Studies committed to advancing research, dialogue and institutional linkages that address complex challenges in cyberspace.
Mr Haider Abbas, Director General of PKCERT, stressed that national security is inseparable from strong cyber defences and warned that modern threats are increasingly sophisticated. He drew attention to emerging risks such as cryptojacking, explaining that these attacks can quietly exploit system resources even when devices appear idle. PKCERT will continue to provide technical coordination and national-level incident response as part of this partnership.
The memorandum outlines joint work in areas such as collaborative research, expert exchanges, capacity-building programmes, internships for university students and public cybersecurity awareness initiatives. The partners intend the cybersecurity partnership to bridge the gap between policy formulation and technical implementation, ensuring research informs practical responses across government and industry.
Both institutions have pledged to keep the collaboration results-oriented, producing actionable research and creating hands-on opportunities for students and practitioners to engage with real-world cyber challenges. The new partnership is positioned to strengthen institutional capacity and contribute tangibly to Pakistan’s long-term cyber resilience and secure digital future.
