The Pakistani government is proposing a significant change to its cybersecurity strategy with the formation of a Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) Council under revised CERT Rules.

Sources at the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) revealed that the council will comprise representatives from key government bodies like the Cabinet Division, Ministry of Law, Ministry of Commerce, and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), among others. This council will serve in an advisory capacity.

The revised rules, currently under review by the Ministry of Law, will establish a National Computer Emergency Response Team (nCERT) alongside Sectoral CERTs dedicated to specific sectors like Defense, Telecom, Banking & Finance, and Power.

To support the nCERT, a separate secretariat will be established with initial assistance from the National Telecom and Information Security Board (NTISB). Additionally, the government plans to reach out to provincial governments to establish provincial CERTs, potentially leveraging the existing computer emergency response center in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a starting point.

This move follows the federal cabinet’s approval of the revised CERT Rules ten days ago. The MoITT stated that the rules underwent stakeholder consultation and cabinet committee approval before reaching the federal cabinet for finalization. Once notified, these rules aim to pave the way for a more robust cybersecurity ecosystem in Pakistan.