Federal IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja addressed a session of the Global Cybersecurity Forum 2025 in Riyadh, calling for a shift that turns major technological changes into sustained security gains. The session, titled “Trust in Action: Reimagining Citizen Services in a Cyber-First World”, examined how online services are becoming the primary interface between government and citizens and why cybersecurity innovation must keep pace.
Shaza noted that online services are increasingly the cornerstone of government-citizen interaction and warned that data breaches and service disruption now stand among the most serious cybersecurity challenges. Emphasizing cybersecurity innovation, she urged governments to prioritize protection of citizen-facing platforms to maintain public trust.
The minister discussed integrating security across the full lifecycle of citizen services and highlighted modern approaches to identity and verification. She underscored the need for secure federated digital identity systems and urged adoption of quantum-resilient cryptography as part of long-term planning to protect critical services.
Operational readiness was a central theme, with Shaza stressing CERT interlinkages, real-time monitoring and rapid coordination with the National CERT to detect and respond to threats. She also promoted the implementation of the zero trust model alongside strengthened verification measures to reduce exposure and improve resilience.
Senior officials from Saudi Arabia and Malaysia participated in the session, underlining regional collaboration on protecting citizen services. Shaza Fatima Khawaja’s remarks at the forum reinforce a policy direction that positions cybersecurity innovation at the heart of Pakistan’s digital service agenda.
