Islamabad — The National Computer Emergency Response Team of Pakistan and global cybersecurity firm Kaspersky have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s capacity to detect, prevent, and respond to cyber threats, officials said on Tuesday.
The agreement between PKCERT and Kaspersky marks a new phase of cooperation focused on improving institutional readiness, workforce development, and information sharing as cyber risks continue to grow across public and private sectors. The initiative reflects broader efforts by the government to reinforce digital security infrastructure amid rising threats to critical systems, businesses, and citizens.
Focus on training, capacity building, and threat intelligence
Under the MoU, the two sides will collaborate on training and awareness programs for government institutions, industry, academia, and civil society. These initiatives are intended to enhance operational preparedness and help develop a skilled cybersecurity workforce aligned with international best practices.
The partnership also emphasizes the timely exchange of actionable cyber threat intelligence, enabling faster detection and response to emerging risks. Cooperation will extend to incident response, prevention and mitigation strategies, cybersecurity legislation and regulation, research and development, and professional exchanges.
Officials said the arrangement will facilitate the sharing of technical information and data related to cyber incidents affecting government entities, businesses, and individual users across Pakistan.
Agreement signed in Islamabad
The MoU was signed by Dr. Haider Abbas, Director General of the National CERT, and Rashed Al Momani, General Manager for the Middle East and Pakistan at Kaspersky. The signing ceremony was attended by Eugene Kaspersky and Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Federal Minister for Information Technology.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Abbas said the rapid expansion of information and communication technologies has brought significant socio-economic benefits, while also exposing countries to challenges such as cyber espionage, ransomware attacks, data breaches, and threats to critical infrastructure. He noted that collaboration with experienced international partners was essential to strengthening national cybersecurity capabilities.
Rashed Al Momani said effective digital development depends on sustained cooperation between public authorities and private-sector experts. He added that Kaspersky’s experience of working with international organizations and national computer emergency response teams worldwide would support Pakistan’s efforts to secure its digital transformation.
Also read: Cybersecurity training in Pakistan remains limited, Kaspersky survey finds
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