Pakistan’s first National Center for Cyber Security launched in Islamabad
After a long wait, Pakistan’s first-ever National Center for Cyber Security was inaugurated at Air University in Islamabad on May 21, 2018.
Pakistani experts had long been demanding the opening of a Cyber Security Centre due to home-based and foreign-inspired cyber threats to Pakistan’s national, strategic and other establishments.
The Centre was finally inaugurated and the ceremony was attended by Federal Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal, Vice Chancellor of Air University AVM (R) Faaiz Amir along with VCs of various partner universities and other dignitaries.
The National Centre for Cyber Security (NCCS) aims to become the leading hub of innovation and scientific research to develop tools and technology to protect Pakistan’s cyberspace and knowledge transfer to local economy and training, an officials statement noted.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of Pakistan’s first-ever National Center for Cyber Security in Islamabad Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the back of terrorism has been broken and the war on terror is still continuing to completely eradicate it. Ahsan vows to wipe out the scourge of terrorism from the country.
Minister for Interior and Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal has reaffirmed the commitment to wipe out the scourge of terrorism from the country.
Ahsan Iqbal said that peace, stability, and continuity of policies are the key elements and of vital importance to achieve fast-paced economic development and prosperity.
He said now the world has been changed as the 21st century is the economic century and today, nations need to emerge as an economic power. He said the national security also depends on economic security.
Later, Ahsan Iqbal inaugurated the National Center for Cyber Security.
The center is aimed at protecting Pakistan’s digital assets in cyberspace, producing high-quality workforce in cybersecurity and establishing Pakistan cybersecurity industry.
The National Center will comprise of number of affiliated labs at various universities, including Air University Islamabad, Bahria University Islamabad, Lahore University of Management Sciences(LUMS), National University of Science & Technology (NUST), Information Technology University (ITU) Lahore, NED University Karachi, Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences (PIEAS), University of Peshawar, University of Engineering & Technology Peshawar, University of Technology Nowshera, University of Engineering & Technology Lahore, and University of Engineering & Technology Taxila, across the country with the headquarter located at Air University Islamabad.
For the first time, Pakistan’s prestigious Air University is also introducing four-year BS Cyber Security program. The study course is designed to develop students’ strong base in computing and give them a set of cybersecurity skills to design, deploy, and manage secure systems, and also prevent existing systems from cyber attacks.
– PPA
