Expert Panel at RA CyberSec Summit 2026
Islamabad, Pakistan, 04 February 2026 – RA CyberSec Summit 2026, organised by Risk Associates, continued its mission of advancing cybersecurity dialogue by bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, and academic experts to address one of the most pressing challenges facing modern organisations, the protection of critical data.
As part of the Islamabad edition of the summit held on 4 February 2026 at the Air University Auditorium a distinguished panel titled Making Data Security a National-Level Priority convened leading voices from banking academia and national cybersecurity leadership.
The discussion was moderated by Mr Navaid Naqvi who guided a thoughtful conversation on how Pakistan can strengthen its data protection frameworks and align institutional cybersecurity practices with broader national resilience objectives.
The panel featured Dr Ammar Masood – Dean FC & AI Air University, Mr Jawad Khalid Mirza – CISO Askari Bank, Mr Kashif Hassan- MD Risk Associates, Dr Ghalib Asadullah Shah – Professor AU, and Mr Ammar Jaffri – PISA President. Together they explored the evolving role of governance regulation and organisational leadership in building a secure digital ecosystem.
Throughout the discussion panelists emphasised that data security must move beyond being treated solely as a technical responsibility within IT departments. Instead it must be recognised as a strategic priority that requires leadership commitment policy alignment and collaboration across sectors.
The conversation also highlighted the growing importance of data governance regulatory compliance and national cybersecurity policy frameworks in protecting sensitive information assets. As organisations continue to expand digital operations ensuring the protection of data has become essential for operational resilience economic stability and public trust.
Panelists further stressed the importance of collaboration between government institutions financial organisations technology leaders and academic bodies in developing sustainable cybersecurity capabilities within the country.
The discussion provided valuable insights for attendees and reinforced a key message echoed throughout RA CyberSec Summit 2026. Data security is no longer only an organisational responsibility it is a national priority.
By bringing together perspectives from industry academia and policy leadership the panel demonstrated how collaborative dialogue can shape stronger cybersecurity governance for Pakistan’s digital future.
Lead the Shift Toward Data First Security
Understand why organisations are moving beyond perimeter defence and placing data protection at the centre of their security strategy.
