Addressing a cybersecurity-related event on Wednesday, the minister said that without a strong cybersecurity framework, it would not be possible to establish complete confidence among foreign investors and businesses seeking to operate in Pakistan’s digital economy. She said that the government had already digitised more than 32 government services, while access to National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) documents had also been enabled through mobile applications.
However, she stressed that further growth in the digital sector and greater foreign investment would depend on strengthening the country’s legal, policy and institutional frameworks from a cybersecurity perspective.
The minister noted that cybersecurity was no longer limited to technical infrastructure alone but had broader implications for society and the state.
According to Khawaja, cybersecurity is directly linked with the protection of citizens’ personal identity, personal safety, and the security of homes and families, in addition to its role in safeguarding national security.
Khawaja said the world was rapidly moving towards digitalisation, with modern technologies increasingly being applied in sectors such as healthcare. While these technologies are opening new opportunities for improving disease diagnosis and treatment, they are also creating new risks related to data protection and potential misuse.
She warned that the misuse of sensitive information, including genetic data of populations, could become a serious concern if cybersecurity systems remain weak.