In an era where wars are no longer fought only on battlefields but also through screens and servers, last weekend’s cyberattack on a Pakistani media channel should serve as a serious wake up call. This incident is not merely a technical failure. It is a direct assault on our digital sovereignty and national security. If foreign actors can penetrate media networks today, what prevents them from targeting financial institutions, defence systems or national databases tomorrow? Cyber warfare is no longer hypothetical. It is strategic, psychological and designed to destabilise public confidence. This incident exposes structural weaknesses in our cyber defence framework. Pakistan has made progress in digitisation, from online banking to e governance, yet investment in cybersecurity training, monitoring systems and rapid response mechanisms appears insufficient.
According to cybersecurity experts, modern cyberattacks are often coordinated and politically motivated, aimed at manipulating narratives and creating chaos. When media houses become targets, the objective is clear: to undermine trust and project vulnerability. This episode should not be reduced to political rhetoric or temporary outrage. It demands institutional reform, stronger coordination between intelligence agencies and private media networks and sustained funding for advanced cyber defence technologies.
Hamna Yasmeen
Islamabad
