On 6 February 2025 a one-day technical review workshop in Lahore convened by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in collaboration with the Ministry of Law and Justice and supported by UK International Development, examined core cybersecurity and data protection measures for the National Sex Offenders Register.
Technical and operational representatives from police, prosecution, prisons, the National Police Bureau (NPB), NADRA, PITB and KPITB took part in a structured assessment of system controls. Discussions focused on system access controls and role-based user management, authentication mechanisms, audit trails, encryption standards, data retention practices and incident response procedures, with reference to international good practices and risk-based security principles to boost NSOR cybersecurity.
Participants also reviewed governance and oversight arrangements to identify vulnerabilities and clarify accountability for data stewardship across the NSOR lifecycle. Special attention was given to safeguarding survivor-sensitive information and ensuring procedures uphold survivor dignity while enabling lawful and responsible use of the register.
Findings from the technical review will inform targeted system hardening and governance enhancements to support secure inter-agency coordination among law enforcement, prosecution and identity authorities. Strengthening NSOR cybersecurity is presented as a practical step to reinforce data privacy, institutional accountability and public trust in the justice sector in Pakistan.
