Pak parl committee seeks fund to enhance security of FO

Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Ministry website faces attacks from hackers and the government should provide essential funds to upgrade the systems and enhance its security, according to a parliamentary committee.
The Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs was today briefed by officials of the Foreign Office.
Opposition Senator Mushahid Hussain said that Pakistan with China and Iran was one of three countries in the world which are extensively monitored by foreign spies.
He urged the government to take immediate steps to ensure cyber security of the Foreign Ministry and its missions abroad. "We have not taken timely measures for cyber security and so are quite late," he said.

The committee also criticised the government for not releasing funds as demanded by Foreign Office to enhance the cyber security.
The committee was also informed that Foreign Office had demanded Rs 80 million from the federal government for the purposes of improving cyber security.
An official of the Foreign Office acknowledged the threat of hacking and cyber espionage to Pakistan's missions abroad.
The committee in its recommendation strongly urged the government to provide essential funds so that the systems were upgraded and security ensured.