Islamabad, January 12, 2026: Foreign Secretary of Pakistan Ambassador Amna Baloch on Monday inaugurated a five-day Cyber Capacity-Building and Policy Training Programme in Islamabad, aimed at strengthening national capabilities to address evolving cyber threats and governance challenges in cyberspace.
The programme is being organized in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), with support from Global Affairs Canada, and focuses on enhancing policy and technical capacities in the rapidly changing cyber domain.
In her keynote address, Ambassador Amna Baloch underscored the growing importance of cybersecurity for national resilience, international peace and stability, and sustainable development. She highlighted Pakistan’s active participation in multilateral processes on information and communications technology (ICT) security, particularly within the United Nations framework on responsible state behaviour in cyberspace. This includes engagement on international law, voluntary norms, confidence-building measures and capacity-building initiatives. She emphasized that inclusive international cooperation remains vital to effectively addressing shared cyber challenges.
Speakers at the inaugural session also included UNIDIR Director Mr. Robin Geiss, High Commissioner of Canada to Pakistan Ambassador Tarik Ali Khan, and United Nations Resident Coordinator in Pakistan Mr. Mohamed Yahya. They stressed the importance of international collaboration and capacity-building in the cyber domain, highlighting the role of policy-oriented training and practical exercises in strengthening states’ ability to respond to cyber threats, particularly those targeting critical infrastructure.
The programme brings together policymakers, technical experts and academics from relevant national institutions. It features expert-led sessions, scenario-based discussions and table-top exercises covering cyber threats, emerging technologies, cybercrime, incident response and international cooperation frameworks.
The Pakistan–UNIDIR Cyber Capacity-Building and Policy Training Programme is being held in Islamabad from January 12 to 16, 2026, and is being coordinated by UNIDIR in close cooperation with Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
