ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Minister for Information Technology has said a national cybersecurity and personal data protection policy will be implemented by December this year once it is passed by parliament, after popular bus-sharing service Swvl said it had suffered a major security breach that comprised user data of over half its customers.
In April this year, Dubai based information security company Rewterz claimed the private data of 115 million Pakistani mobile users was up for sale on the dark web.
In the latest breach, Egyptian bus-sharing app Swvl has said the data of more than 50 percent of the company’s user base had been breached, according to Shahzeb Memon, Pakistan general manager for the service, who told Arab News Swvl became aware of the unauthorized access in the first week of July.
In light of such incidents, a bill “related to personal data protection will pass from the parliament very soon,” minister for IT Syed Amin ul Haque said, adding: “I am very hopeful that we will complete all procedures by December this year.”
“The ministry of IT is working on cybersecurity and data protection for the last many months,” he said. “We have drafted a bill for legislation which remained on our website for public viewing. We got feedback from the public and other stockholders from inside the country as well as abroad, including the United States.”
Haque said his ministry was in touch with several companies which had access to public data to ensure incidents like the Swvl breach not not happen in the future.
“We have established a committee in this regard which has people from the IT ministry and law enforcement agencies,” Haque said. “We will try that no such data breach should occur in the future.”
Swvl was founded in April 2017 and operates buses along fixed routes, allowing customers to reserve and pay for rides using an app. It has operations in many countries, including Egypt, Kenya and Pakistan, where it launched last year.
“The investigation into the breach is still underway, but at this stage, it is clear that the data which was compromised is restricted to names, email addresses, and phone numbers,” Swvl’s Memon said. “Rest assured that our investigation ensures that passwords and credit card information were not affected or exposed.”
“The vulnerabilities have been addressed,” he added, “and we are working tirelessly to make sure this doesn’t happen again, including deploying further additional security measures.”
Pakistan to pass new cybersecurity policy by December after Egyptian app's data breached
https://arab.news/nry98
Pakistan to pass new cybersecurity policy by December after Egyptian app's data breached
- Bus-sharing app says data of more than 50 percent users breached in July
- IT minister says working on legislation ‘for last many months’ to minimize future lapses
13 more killed in Pakistan sectarian fighting
- Pakistan is a Sunni-majority country, but Kurram district has a large Shiite population and the communities have clashed for decades
- Fresh fighting broke out last Thursday when two separate convoys of Shiite Muslims traveling under police escort were ambushed
PESHAWAR: Sectarian feuding in northwest Pakistan killed 13 more people, a local government official said Saturday, as warring Sunnis and Shiites defied repeated ceasefire orders in recent conflict claiming 124 lives.
Pakistan is a Sunni-majority country, but Kurram district — in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the border with Afghanistan — has a large Shiite population and the communities have clashed for decades.
Fresh fighting broke out last Thursday when two separate convoys of Shiite Muslims traveling under police escort were ambushed, killing more than 40.
Since then, 10 days of fighting with light and heavy weapons has brought the region to a standstill, with major roads closed and mobile phone services cut as the death toll surged.
A Kurram local government official put the death toll at 124 on Saturday after 13 more people were killed in the past two days.
Two were Sunni and 11 Shiite, he said, whilst more than 50 people have been wounded in fresh fighting which continued Saturday morning.
“There is a severe lack of trust between the two sides, and neither tribe is willing to comply with government orders to cease hostilities,” he told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“Police report that many people want to flee the area due to the violence, but the deteriorating security situation makes it impossible,” he added.
A seven-day ceasefire deal was announced by the provincial government last weekend but failed to hold. Another 10-day truce was brokered Wednesday but it also failed to stymie the fighting.
A senior security official in the provincial capital of Peshawar, also speaking anonymously, confirmed the total death toll of 124.
“There is a fear of more fatalities,” he said. “None of the provincial government’s initiated measures have been fully implemented to restore peace.”
Police have regularly struggled to control violence in Kurram, which was part of the semi-autonomous Federally Administered Tribal Areas until it was merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said 79 people had been killed in the region between July and October in sectarian clashes.
The feuding is generally rekindled by disputes over land in the rugged mountainous region, and fueled by underlying tensions between the communities adhering to different sects of Islam.
Pakistan to face Zimbabwe in first T20I on Sunday
- The first T20 between Pakistan and Zimbabwe will start at 4pm Pakistan standard time
- Pakistan this week defeated Zimbabwe 2-1 in their three-match one-day international series
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will face Zimbabwe in the first of their three-match Twenty-20 International (T20I) series in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on Sunday.
The first T20 between Pakistan and Zimbabwe will start at 4pm Pakistan standard time. Pakistan this week defeated Zimbabwe 2-1 in their three-match one-day international series.
“A 99-run win in the third ODI to wrap up a series victory,” the Pakistan Cricket Board remarked as Kamran Ghulam struck his maiden one-day international century to steer Pakistan to win.
“Onto the T20I action.”
Pakistan and Zimbabwe will play the second and third T20 matches on Dec. 3 and 5 at the same venue in Bulawayo.
The tourists then head to South Africa for an eight-match all-formats tour, including two Tests.
Lifting of EU safety agency ban on PIA flights will make air travel easier for Pakistanis — PM
- European Aviation Safety Agency suspended PIA’s authorization in June 2020 over aviation safety concerns
- The suspension came days after Pakistan launched an investigation into the validity of pilots’ licenses
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has welcomed the decision of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to lift a ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to the bloc, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif saying it would make air travel easier for Pakistanis living in Europe.
EASA suspended PIA’s authorization to operate in the EU in June 2020 over concerns about the ability of Pakistani authorities and its Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) to ensure compliance with international aviation standards.
The suspension came days after Pakistan launched an investigation into the validity of pilots’ licenses issued in the country following a PIA plane crash that killed 97 people.
In his statement on Friday, PM Sharif said the lifting of EASA’s ban would strengthen the national flag carrier’s reputation and bring financial benefits to the airline, the state-run Radio Pakistani broadcaster reported.
“The lifting of the ban reflects the successful policies of Pakistan and air travel will become easier for Pakistanis living in Europe,” Sharif was quoted as saying by the broadcaster.
The ban was costing PIA nearly 40 billion Pakistani rupees ($144 million) in revenue annually, according to government records presented in parliament.
PIA and the government had been pressing EASA to lift the ban even provisionally. The government’s attempt to privatize the airline fell flat when it received only a single offer this year, that too well below its asking price.
In a statement, the PIA also vowed to abide by the EASA regulations as it welcomed the lifting of the ban.
“The PIA administration will remain fully compliant with EASA and its rules and regulations,” the airline said.
‘Incredible experience’: Pakistani artisans urge stronger cultural ties at Saudi exhibition
- The handicrafts week in Riyadh featured over 500 artisans who displayed a blend of traditions and skills
- Pakistani participants say they were delighted to see Saudi women entrepreneurs in huge numbers
KARACHI: Pakistani artisans participating in Saudi Arabia’s International Handicrafts Week, Banan, on Friday called for deepening cultural ties between the two nations, emphasizing the role of art and crafts in fostering mutual understanding.
The exhibition, held in Riyadh from Nov. 23 to Nov. 29, featured over 500 artisans from 25 countries, showcasing a vibrant blend of traditions and skills.
The event, organized by the Heritage Commission of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, highlighted the role of crafts in promoting cross-cultural dialogue.
Several Pakistani artisans were facilitated by their embassy to participate in Banan and represent their country’s rich culture.
“It is important to explore the ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia through a cultural lens, which has started to happen,” Danish Jabbar Khan, CEO of Kaarvan Crafts Foundation and a participant at the event, told Arab News over the phone.
“The cultural exchange is the way forward for two countries to understand each other," he continued. "It’s simpler and long-lasting. People-to-people exchange is very important that such platforms allow.”
Khan’s foundation works with rural communities, particularly women, to preserve traditional crafts such as truck art, blue pottery and woodwork.
“The experience [of participating in the exhibition] was phenomenal,” he said. “The culture here is so open in terms of its scale, work, and inclusion. I am delighted to see Saudi women entrepreneurs in huge numbers.”
A highlight of the exhibition was truck artist Ejaz ul Allah Mughal, who created custom pieces for attendees.
“I am happy that I represented Pakistan,” Mughal said, adding: “Though language was a barrier, art knows no boundaries. People here really appreciated my craft. Truck art is famous worldwide, so people know about it.”
Mariya Suhail, who uses a diverse range of Pakistan’s gemstones in jewelry, also took her craft to Banan. She set up Pakistan’s first gemstone cutting and processing facility in Lahore over a decade ago, though she later launched her own label, Orah Jewels.
Suhail's work blends Pakistan’s diverse gemstones into jewelry and home décor.
“People here picked up gemstones from Pakistan and loved it," she told Arab News. "There is a lot of demand for Pakistani products here. People of Riyadh also have a very positive outlook towards Pakistan.”
She maintained that despite the language barrier, there was a lot of learning, networking and exposure.
“Cultural exchange is very important," she added. "I wish we can have more such events and opportunities to present this very beautiful image of Pakistan. It's been an incredible experience here.”
The Embassy of Pakistan in Riyadh also commended the artisans’ participation, calling the Pakistani pavilion a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and the unparalleled quality of its craftsmanship.
"From intricate handmade designs to traditional artistry passed down through generations, the showcased crafts highlighted the deep-rooted legacy of Pakistan's artisan community,” it said in a statement.
At least five killed in road crash in Pakistan’s Balochistan province
- The crash occurred after driver of a speeding car lost control of it and hit a truck
- Fatal road accidents are common in Pakistan where traffic rules are rarely followed
QUETTA: At least five people were killed after a speeding car hit a truck in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, an official said on Friday.
The vehicle carrying five people onboard was en route to Loralai from Quetta, when it crashed into the truck coming from the opposite direction in Sarki Jangal area, according to Loralai Deputy Commissioner Meeran Baloch.
The accident occurred after the driver of the speeding car lost control at a curve section of the highway.
“Five people traveling in the car, including principal of the Government Boys Degree College Loralai, were killed,” Baloch told Arab News.
“The bodies were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital Loralai, where four of them have been identified.”
Fatal road accidents are common in Pakistan where traffic rules are rarely followed and roads, particularly in rural and mountainous areas, are in poor condition.
Such accidents are frequent in Balochistan where single-carriage roads connect various cities, and even some highways lack modern safety features.
Late last month, at least 12 people were killed and more than a dozen others sustained injuries in three fatal road accidents in the southwestern Pakistani province.
