Pakistan has taken a significant step toward strengthening the cyber resilience of its financial sector with the launch of the country’s first industry-wide cyber security drill. The initiative is being conducted by the Pakistan Banks’ Association (PBA) in collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), marking a coordinated effort to address evolving digital threats facing financial institutions.
The cyber drill is designed to assess, enhance, and standardize the preparedness of banks and financial institutions against cyber risks. As digital transformation accelerates across Pakistan’s banking ecosystem, exposure to cyber threats has increased, making proactive risk management and sector-wide coordination more critical than ever. This initiative represents a structured response to those challenges, focusing on resilience rather than reactive measures.
According to details shared by the organizers, the drill aims to test institutional readiness, incident response mechanisms, and coordination protocols under simulated cyber-attack scenarios. By engaging multiple institutions simultaneously, the exercise is expected to identify systemic vulnerabilities, improve real-time response capabilities, and strengthen communication channels across the banking industry.
The collaboration between PBA and SBP highlights the growing emphasis on collective security within Pakistan’s financial system. Cyber risks do not operate in isolation, and a breach in one institution can have wider implications for the entire ecosystem. This industry-wide approach reflects global best practices, where regulators and banking associations work jointly to safeguard financial infrastructure.
The initiative also underscores the State Bank of Pakistan’s broader focus on strengthening digital governance and operational resilience. In recent years, SBP has issued multiple frameworks and guidelines aimed at enhancing cyber security, data protection, and technology risk management across regulated entities. The cyber drill complements these regulatory efforts by translating policy into practical, real-world testing.
For participating institutions, the drill serves as an opportunity to evaluate existing security controls, decision-making processes, and recovery strategies under pressure. It also encourages banks to align their internal cyber security frameworks with industry standards, ensuring consistency and interoperability across the sector.
The Pakistan Banks’ Association has emphasized that fostering collaboration is a core objective of the exercise. By bringing together banks, regulators, and relevant stakeholders, the drill is expected to promote information sharing, build trust, and encourage collective learning. Such collaboration is increasingly viewed as essential in combating sophisticated cyber threats that evolve rapidly and target interconnected systems.
As Pakistan’s financial sector continues to expand its digital footprint through online banking, mobile applications, and real-time payment systems, cyber resilience has become a strategic priority rather than a technical concern. Initiatives like this industry-wide drill signal a shift toward a more mature and coordinated approach to cyber risk management.
The launch of Pakistan’s first industry-wide cyber drill marks an important milestone in the country’s banking and financial services landscape. It reflects a growing recognition that secure, resilient digital infrastructure is fundamental to maintaining financial stability, customer trust, and long-term sectoral growth. Through sustained collaboration and continuous testing, the initiative aims to strengthen the foundations of Pakistan’s digital financial ecosystem.
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