Cyber, social media awareness body on the anvil

• Council aims to coordinate efforts against cybercrime • Information minister calls for digital education in schools, colleges and universities • IT minister stresses need to protect children from cyberbullying ISLAMABAD: The government is planning to set up a Cybersecurity and Social Media Awareness Council to bring together relevant government institutions and other stakeholders to protect citizens against cybercrimes. 'Rapidly evolving technologies and social media also pose emerging challenges, and there is an urgent need to develop a regulatory framework through policies to keep pace with technological advancements,' Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Thursday while addressing Cybersecurity Awareness Week 2026. The event was organised by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the theme 'Building a Safe, Secure, and Resilient Cyberspace'. 'Social media is evolving rapidly, making it essential to raise awareness about its responsible use and the dangers of fake news,' the minister added. He emphasised the need to introduce digital education in schools, colleges and universities and update the curriculum in line with technological developments. He said children must be trained to protect themselves against cyberattacks. Mr Tarar said information on cybersecurity should reach every citizen. 'Pakistan already has various teams working in this area, but it is important to make further efforts to address emerging challenges,' he added. He also stressed the need to involve Generation Z in these initiatives, saying concrete steps must be taken to protect future generations and ensure a secure digital future for Pakistan. 'Resilient digital ecosystem' Speaking at the event, Information Technology and Telecommunications Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja underscored the importance of a secure and resilient digital ecosystem as cyber threats increased with the country's shift towards digitalisation. 'The advent of AI is further increasing cyber threats. Phone hacking implies that everything has been exposed,' she said, adding that security measures were essential in the digital sphere, just as they were in physical life, as even very young children were now online. The minister said an entire 'metaverse' existed for children and parents should know who their children were interacting with on social media. 'Carelessness leads to children falling victim to cyberbullying,' Ms Khawaja said, adding that incident-reporting mechanisms needed to be improved. She also said a social media regulatory authority would be established soon. Dr Samuel Rizk, UNDP Pakistan resident representative, highlighted the importance of placing people at the centre of cybersecurity efforts. 'A safer digital environment depends not only on technology, but also on informed and empowered users. Our partnership with PTA focuses on ensuring people can navigate digital spaces safely and responsibly,' he said. PTA Chairman Hafeezur Rehman hi­­ghlighted the authority's regulatory mea­sures, public awareness initiatives and collaborative efforts to address cyber threats, digital fraud and misinformation. Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2026