Pakistan Government Entity Hit by Ransomware as Cyberattacks Surge in 2026 A Pakistani government entity fell victim to a ransomware attack last week, resulting in encrypted data that was later restored from backup systems, according to Dr. Haider Abbas, Director General of the Pakistan Computer Emergency Response Team (PKCERT). The incident, disclosed at the Fortinet Security Day Karachi 2026 conference, marks the 253rd cyberattack recorded in Pakistan this year. Pakistan has faced a sharp rise in cyber threats, with 927 attacks documented in 2024 and 2025, many targeting critical infrastructure across both public and private sectors. While PKCERT successfully mitigated these incidents, the latest ransomware attack underscores persistent vulnerabilities. In response, PKCERT has mandated all public and private organizations to establish and operationalize cybersecurity operations centers (SOCs) within six months. These centers will be tasked with continuous threat monitoring to bolster defenses. The directive aligns with Pakistan’s broader cybersecurity strategy, which includes the upcoming Pakistan Information Security Framework 2026 (PISF 2026). The framework, currently under cabinet and parliamentary review, will introduce the country’s first standardized cybersecurity compliance and auditing controls. At the national level, PKCERT is expanding its collaborative efforts, working with sectoral regulators such as the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) to deploy sector-specific CERTs. Plans are also underway to establish a federal government CERT under the national framework. Meanwhile, the banking sector faces additional challenges as it adopts hybrid cloud infrastructure to support AI initiatives. SBP’s IT Director, Ahmed Saeed, warned that integrating public and private clouds heightens security risks, reduces visibility, and complicates data privacy and regulatory compliance. He emphasized the need for banks to adhere to SBP’s cloud and cybersecurity frameworks, implement zero-trust architecture, and enforce centralized identity management and consistent security policies.