In wake of the growing threats of cyber security for the country, Senate Standing Committee on Defence Chairman Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Monday proposed a seven-point action plan, stating that Pakistan should coordinate with China, Turkey and Malaysia to jointly counter cyber threats posed by western nations.
Addressing a seminar titled “Defending Cyber Security Strategy for Pakistan” held following startling revelations made by Edward Snowden about spying on Pakistan and other world states by the American National Security Agency (NSA), Mushahid said the Senate body would be submitting bills with the Senate by Eidul Fitr to plug gaps in cyber crimes prosecution.
“Since last year, the Senate Committee on Defence and Defence Production had identified cyber warfare as a new, non-military security threat to the country given its location and strategic role. Already in the region, there is an ongoing cyber war of words between the US and China and outright cyber warfare between Iran and the United States/Israel,” he added.
He added that the country’s cyber security must have three fundamental elements — resist cyber attacks, cyber penetration and disruption.
“Our cyber security must have three fundamental elements. Pakistan’s digital infrastructure must have the ability to resist attacks, cyber penetration and disruption, defend against emerging cyber threats, whether state sponsored or otherwise, and ability to retaliate regionally, at least, the ability to recover quickly from cyber incidents, whether caused by cyber aggression, accident or natural disaster,” he said.
“According to the revelation by Edward Snowden, the American National Security Agency (NSA) was spying on Pakistan through internet and online communication systems with 13.5 billion pieces of email, phone and fax communications intercepted, making Pakistan the second highest country to be watched by the NSA after Iran. China is among the top 5,” Senator Mushahid said.
“This cyber security threat can affect Pakistan’s national defence, security, intelligence, diplomacy, nuclear and missile programme, economy, energy, education, civil aviation as well as industrial and manufacturing units, both in the private and public sector. Therefore, cyber security is an issue of paramount importance for Pakistan’s stability and progress,” he added.
He said even US President Obama had declared that the “cyber threat is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we faces as a nation” and that “America’s prosperity in the 21st century will depend on cyber security”.
Elaborating the seven-point action plan agreed upon by the seminar’s participants, Mushahid said Pakistan’s digital infrastructure must have the ability to resist attacks, cyber penetration and disruption.
“In this regard, as a result of today’s historic and landmark policy seminar, the Senate Defence Committee proposes the following Action Plan for a Cyber Secured Pakistan.”
He said that under the office of the chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, an Inter-Services Cyber Command should be established to coordinate cyber security and cyber defence for the Pakistan Armed Forces.
“Within the framework of SAARC, Pakistan should take the initiative to initiate talks among the member states, particularly India, to establish acceptable norms of behaviour in cyber security among the SAARC countries so that these countries were not engaged in cyber warfare against each other,” he added.
Mushahid said relevant legislation to preserve, protect and promote Pakistan’s cyber security was required, drafting for which had already begun.
“We will present bills in parliament for cyber security by Eidul Fitr,” he said, adding that the cyber security threat should be accepted and recognised as a new, emerging national security threat by the government of Pakistan, and considered as important as other threats like terrorism and military aggression.
“Moreover, a National Computer Emergency Response Team (PKCERT) should be established while establishing a Cyber-Security Task Force with affiliation with Ministry of Defence, Ministry of IT, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Information and our security organisations, as well as relevant and leading professionals from the private security so that Pakistan can take steps to combat this new emerging threat and formulate Cyber Security Strategy for Pakistan”.
He said soon after Eid, the Senate Defence Committee, in cooperation with the Pakistan Information Security Association (PISA), would have a special media workshop to promote awareness among the public and educate opinion leaders on the issue of cyber security.
“If Pakistan and India can have an agreement not to attack nuclear installations, why not an agreement seeking the prevention of cyber warfare against each other,” he concluded.
