Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (Retd) Hafeez ur Rehman has stressed the need to embrace rapidly emerging technologies while ensuring public trust and robust cybersecurity measures.
Speaking at a cybersecurity workshop and awards ceremony, the PTA chief said the authority is actively working to roll out 5G services in Pakistan, while noting that China is already discussing 6G. He emphasised that cybersecurity is critical for 5G implementation.
“Artificial intelligence is a powerful and effective tool,” he said, “but it is also being misused for creating fake audio and video messages. Preventing financial fraud is a challenge for all of us, and PTA is playing an active role in tackling it.”
The chairman revealed that rules for the Pakistan Satellite Internet Regulatory Body (PSARB) are ready, and satellite internet services will be launched in Pakistan soon. He underscored the importance of data sovereignty and protection, secure internet and social media use, and safeguarding citizens’ privacy.
“We must assure the nation that we are the protectors of your privacy and data,” he affirmed.
Meanwhile, PTA Director General Cyber Vigilance Dr. Mukaram Khan told the workshop that Pakistan has successfully defended against Indian cyber warfare attempts. He said no major cyberattack has occurred in the telecom sector, and that the country’s cybersecurity standards have improved significantly, achieving a score of 8.8 out of 10 in the telecom sector.
He added that PTA conducts third-party cybersecurity audits of all telecom operators and is working to address existing vulnerabilities.