More than anything else, cybersecurity is essential to global peace and stability in the twenty-first century. States are starting to recognise that, like more conventional security risks, digital vulnerabilities that were previously thought of as technical problems are now starting to have significant consequences. According to this perspective, Pakistan’s cybersecurity concept can be commended for both its compliance with national regulations and its positive interaction with international frameworks, especially the 11 UN Cyber Norms of responsible state behaviour on the Internet.

Beyond cybersecurity’s technological perspective. There are two main viewpoints on cybersecurity. The first is technical: to protect data, networks, and ICT systems to guarantee availability, confidentiality, and integrity. National security, which includes vital infrastructure defence, intelligence, and defence, is the second area of consideration. Although both are essential, they may cause the human element of cybersecurity to be overlooked. In Pakistan, where more than 140 million people have internet access and about two-thirds of the population is under 30, the stakes are very high. By 2030, the digital economy, which is currently worth about US $15 billion, is expected to grow to US $60–75 billion. However, this change also highlights the dangers of cyberstalking, fake news, and the digital divide, which jeopardise not just systems and machines but also citizens’ rights, confidence, and well-being. The problems necessitate a human-centered approach that puts communities and individuals at the centre of cybersecurity policy.

Gender as a Strategic Variable in Cybersecurity

The gender approach is becoming popular in international cyber diplomacy. Both the UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) and the Open-Ended Working Groups (OEWG) have highlighted the need to bridge the gender digital divide, empower women to be involved in ICT governance, and recognise that cyber threats impact various groups of people. An example of such a strategic goal is gender-responsive capacity creation, which is a priority of the 2021-2025 OEWG. In Pakistan, the need is evident. Women are only 26 percent as likely as men to have internet access and only 7 percent of women in rural regions are online compared to 20 percent of men in rural regions. This disparity is also manifested in the labor force, women constitute only 14 percent of the Pakistani tech industry, and only 4.9 percent of the engineering profession. Progress is visible, however. The mobile internet gender gap fell by 38 percent to 25 percent between 2023 and 2025 with female mobile internet use increasing by 33 percent to 45 percent – higher than in India (39 percent) and Bangladesh (26 percent). Nevertheless, there are still urgent issues; 40 percent of Pakistani women were exposed to online harassment, and gender is becoming a strategic element of cybersecurity. The combination of these views is thus a non-social add-on but a means of developing national resilience.

The Role of the 11 UN Cyber Norms

The 11 UN Cyber Norms are a crucial benchmark for responsible state behaviour, and all UN Member States have approved them. Nondiscrimination, human rights protection, capacity building, and the peaceful use of ICTs are all very important to them. Additionally, they recognise that no nation can achieve global cybersecurity on its own and that it cannot be achieved in isolation. These concepts align with Pakistan’s cybersecurity debate. As befits the spirit of the 11 principles, capacity building, digital rights, and critical infrastructure security are gradually becoming increasingly important in national frameworks.

Nonetheless, Pakistan encourages equity in the use and interpretation of these standards. When the norms are followed, the world’s superpowers become more predictable and moderate. They provide a channel for developing countries to receive digital capacity building and to demand equitable treatment. In this sense, Pakistan wants to present itself as a positive mediator who enforces the law while reminding the world that cyber-peace is founded on shared responsibility rather than selective compliance. Cyberspace will quickly shift from a domain of war to one of collaboration once all of the advanced cyber powers, including developing nations, have completely complied with these regulations.

The Pakistani Institutional Leap: The Digital Nation Bill and PDA

The Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) was established by the federal government in August 2025 under the Digital Nation Bill. This body is tasked with creating, carrying out, and overseeing Pakistan’s national digital master plan as well as a thorough framework for evaluating digital transformation initiatives. It will develop and publish a national data policy in addition to assuring compliance in new areas, such as cloud infrastructure and data governance, and harmonising governance in the public and private sectors.

There are four benefits to this constructive institutional shift in Pakistan:

a. National Security: By protecting private data and digital sovereignty from foreign espionage and intrusion, the PDA also strengthens Pakistan’s capacity to fight cyberwarfare.
b. Economic Competitiveness: By using digital standards, it would foster confidence in fintech and e-commerce, allowing Pakistan’s digital economy, which has achieved its target of 30 billion by 2030, to flourish.

c. Inclusive Governance: By reducing exclusion, especially for women and other marginalised groups, transparent digital identity systems might put Pakistan in line with UN cyber principles on human rights protection and nondiscrimination.

d. Global Diplomacy: By enacting institutional reforms, Pakistan portrays itself as a responsible digital citizen that not only complies with international norms but also contributes to the conversation about equitable and inclusive cyberspace governance.

Strategic Relevance of Pakistan

So what does the location of Pakistan mean? Pakistan, a quickly evolving digital economy with a critical geographic location and growing cyber potential, can add to the conversation about cyber norms. Although national security interests, such as cyber espionage and even disinformation campaigns are legitimate, its goal has been to promote cooperation over conflict. There is also a compelling economic case for this approach. Nearly PKR 9.7 trillion (US $60 billion) might be contributed to the Pakistani economy by 2030 as a result of digital technology, while PKR 2.8 trillion will come from training in digital skills alone. These benefits are predicated on building trust in online platforms and guaranteeing that everyone may engage in them safely, especially women and underrepresented groups.

Pakistan has already expressed its desire to play a significant role in global cybersecurity forums. Because of its focus on closing the digital divide, enhancing national capability, and upholding human-centric security principles, it does not view cybersecurity as a zero-sum game. Rather, it characterises digital stability as a worldwide social good. In addition to giving Pakistan more legitimacy, this stance provides an alternative interpretation to the widely accepted securitised rhetoric.
The way forward is obvious, cybersecurity is no longer a limited military or technological idea. Gender thinking, the application of the 11 UN Cyber Norms, and the recognition of shared responsibility are the foundations of the sustainable digital order.

This corresponds to three strategic imperatives for Pakistan:

a. Improving compliance with UN Cyber Norms: Pakistan can improve its reputation as a responsible digital citizen by incorporating concepts of responsible state behaviour into national plans. This will need encouraging transparency, boosting self-esteem, and making peaceful use of ICT.
b. Gender in Cybersecurity Policy: Cybersecurity policies tailored to a particular gender can have a significant impact. We can be more resilient if the policies are gender-specific with regard to cyber risks. Development of gender-responsive capacities must be viewed as a strategic national requirement rather than an external one.

c. Fostering Collaboration in Online Diplomacy: Pakistan might utilize the regulations to persuade both developed and developing nations to abide by them. It then turns into a norm entrepreneur, which by definition establishes international legitimacy and enforces international standards.

In a time when cyberwarfare is poised to upend the global order, Pakistan, with its emphasis on responsibility, inclusivity, and cooperation, provides an example of constructive engagement. Adopting the 11 UN Cyber Norms and being gender sensitive in cybersecurity is beneficial for Pakistan and the entire world community. When both developing and developed nations fulfil these commitments, cyberspace can be a source of shared security rather than a source of division. To Pakistan, it is an offensive stance towards world peace that is worthy of praise and support rather than a defensive one.