The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) awarded Telenor Pakistan the top accolade in the Cellular Mobile Operators category at the Telecom Cyber Security Awards 2024, held in Islamabad on November 5th.
The award is based on PTA’s rigorous annual cybersecurity assessment, including detailed audits and security practices revalidation. Telenor Pakistan demonstrated a high compliance rate with the Critical Telecom Data and Infrastructure Security Regulations (CTDISR), a standard framework designed to protect essential telecom infrastructure from emerging cyber threats.
Telenor Pakistan’s CEO, Khurrum Ashfaque, accepted the award in the presence of senior officials, including the Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecom, the PTA Chairman, and other key figures from the telecom and tech sectors. Ashfaque spoke on the occasion, emphasizing that the company’s proactive cybersecurity measures are essential for delivering reliable and secure services amid a constantly evolving threat landscape.
Speaking on the achievement, Awais Vohra, Chief Technical Officer at Telenor Pakistan, underscored the significance of the award. He noted, “This award is a recognition of Telenor Pakistan’s dedication to uplift its cyber security posture according to the changing global threat landscape. Ensuring the security of our assets is essential to our commitment to providing secure and reliable services for our customers. We remain committed to leading the industry by implementing strong cyber security controls and driving improvement initiatives.”
Minister of State for IT and Telecommunications Shaza Fatima Khawaja highlighted the importance of cybersecurity in national security and economic stability. She announced Pakistan’s recognition in the Tier-1 category of the ITU-Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI_V5) 2024, placing the country among global leaders in digital security resilience. Additionally, Khawaja introduced plans for a National Digital Commission, to be chaired by the Prime Minister, which aims to unify cybersecurity strategies and reinforce collaboration between public and private sectors.
