ISLAMABAD, May 08, The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on
Information Technology and Telecommunication was held in Old PIPS Hall,
Parliament Lodges Islamabad.
The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology
and Telecommunication was chaired by Senator Palwasha Muhammad Zai Khan
and was attended by Senators Nadeem Ahmed Bhutto, Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan,
Dr. Muhammad Humayun Mohmand, Anoosha Rehman Ahmed Khan, Manzoor Ahmed,
and Gurdeep Singh.
The Secretary of the Ministry of Information Technology and
Telecommunication, the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication
Authority (PTA), and other officials from the relevant ministry were
present.
In light of the recent Indian attack on Pakistan, which resulted in the
tragic loss of innocent civilian lives, the committee decided not to
proceed with the pre-scheduled agenda items.
Chairperson Senator Palwasha Muhammad Zai Khan expressed her concern
regarding the threatening messages she had received via phone, Facebook,
and Gmail. She referred to a speech she had delivered during a previous
session of the Senate, in which she strongly condemned the false
accusations made by the Indian government following the Pahalgam attack
in Indian-occupied Kashmir that claimed the lives of innocent tourists.
Her speech was later cited in an article published by the Hindustan
Times.
She emphasized that a cyber-war is currently underway, with the Indian
government actively attempting to create and disseminate a false
narrative through social media. In modern warfare, narratives play a
crucial role, and social engineering attacks can inflict more damage
than conventional military operations.
The chairperson underscored the urgent need to foster national unity and
social cohesion to effectively counter this hybrid warfare. The
committee members expressed their solidarity with the frontline
defenders who are confronting the enemy’s cowardly actions, particularly
the targeting of civilians by India.
Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, the committee agreed that
Pakistan is in a state of war that necessitates collective patriotism,
national unity, and societal resilience. It was recommended that the
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) launch a public service
awareness campaign to inform and educate the general public on the
on-going cyber threats and the importance of unity