Tarar proposes national council to tackle cybersecurity threats

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Saturday proposed setting up a National Cybersecurity and Social Media Awareness Council to protect citizens from digital threats and promote digital literacy across the country.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of Cyber Security Awareness Week 2026, organised by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in Islamabad, Tarar said provincial governments, federal ministries and divisions, and other organisations could be made members of the proposed council, Radio Pakistan said in a report.

He pledged his full support for the initiative, saying it would help ensure that awareness campaigns were conducted at every level throughout the year.

The minister stressed the need for a coordinated approach to cybersecurity, given its wide-ranging challenges and the need to reach citizens across the country.

He also called for digital literacy to be incorporated into school, college and university curricula to educate students about emerging technological threats and ways to deal with them.

Tarar said a research-based system should be introduced to ensure that educational content was regularly updated in line with rapidly evolving technology.

He added that digital literacy should be made compulsory for all citizens.

The minister also urged every organisation in the country to establish a digital literacy cell and called for officers and government officials to receive training in the field.