SBP, PBA lead drill to boost Pakistan banks’ cyber resilience

January 26, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan’s banking sector successfully concluded its first-ever industry-wide Cyber Drill, a week-long exercise held from 12 to 19 January 2026 in Karachi and Lahore.

The drill, conducted through parallel management and technical tracks, engaged 34 financial institutions in realistic cyber crisis scenarios, including ransomware attacks and disruptions to key digital channels.

The exercise aimed to strengthen incident response, coordination, and crisis management capabilities, highlighting the sector’s commitment to cyber resilience amid an evolving threat landscape, according to a press release issued.

The closing ceremony was held in Karachi, attended by Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Mr. Jameel Ahmad as Chief Guest, and Chairman Pakistan Banks Association (PBA) Mr. Zafar Masud as host, alongside senior leadership from the banking industry, SBP, and partner organisations.

Governor Jameel Ahmad emphasized that cyber resilience requires collective preparedness, transparent information sharing, and trust between regulators and financial institutions, calling the drill “an important milestone” reflecting the sector’s readiness to address emerging risks.

Chairman Zafar Masud described cyber resilience as “a strategic imperative” and highlighted the drill as a key step in building institutional readiness and public confidence in Pakistan’s banking system.

The initiative also recognized participating institutions and the SBP-PBA Cyber Drill Committee for their role in planning and executing the event, underscoring effective collaboration across the industry to maintain a proactive and resilient financial system aligned with global standards.

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