RWU Organizes Dukhtaran-e-Pakistan Seminar on Cybersecurity Awareness

Rawalpindi Women University in collaboration with the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) organized an awareness session titled “Dukhtaran-e-Pakistan Seminar on Strengthening Cyber Security Resilience” to highlight rising digital threats and the need to strengthen cyber systems to address emerging challenges. The initiative aimed to empower women by enhancing awareness of cyberspace and improving their capacity to respond to cyber risks.

Ms. Wajiha Qamar, Minister of State for Federal Education and Professional Training, attended the seminar as the chief guest, while Ms. Zaheema Iqbal, Assistant Director Capacity Building at the National Cyber Emergency Response Team, delivered the keynote address.

Addressing the participants, Ms. Wajiha Qamar appreciated the organizers for holding a timely awareness session and lauded the efforts of the Dukhtaran-e-Pakistan team, RWU and CERT. She emphasized the importance of defining the ethical and intellectual direction of the digital future. Referring to Paigham-e-Pakistan as a historic document that rejects extremism and intolerance, she stated that intolerance must be rejected in cyberspace in the same manner as it has been rejected in the physical world. She noted that women are not only victims of cyber insecurity but also its defenders, adding that education is the strongest safeguard against cyber threats. She stressed that cyber security should be adopted as a basic life skill and encouraged students to view themselves as shapers of the digital future.

In her keynote address, Zaheema Iqbal said that cyber security is not only a technical issue but also a significant social challenge. She shared practical guidance on secure password management, safe use of Wi-Fi, smartphones and applications, protection against phishing, malware and other cyber threats, and responsible use of social media. She highlighted that online harassment, cyber stalking, impersonation and deepfakes fall under technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and informed participants about the available cyber incident reporting mechanisms in Pakistan.

Registrar Rawalpindi Women University, Dr. Huma Rauf, welcomed the participants and underscored the importance of awareness-based initiatives. She thanked all organizers and partner institutions and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to continuously sensitizing students about contemporary challenges to enable them to contribute to a safe and responsible digital society.

At the conclusion of the seminar, honorary shields were presented to the distinguished guests in recognition of their contributions.