Pakistan seeks legal framework against cyberspace challenges

Ambassador says unrestricted availability and misuse of commercial spyware a matter of global concern.

Mumtaz Hussain 

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has expressed its concern about unrestricted availability, proliferation and misuse of commercial spyware and  development of offensive cyber capabilities in the world.

The concern was raised by Ambassador Usman Jadoon, Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, in a statement during the Arria-Formula meeting on “Commercial Spyware and the Maintenance of International Peace and Security”, convened by the United States Mission.

The ambassador said that unrestricted availability and misuse of commercial spyware and related technologies by both state and non-state actors had emerged as a matter of global concern. He said that the unregulated military application of cyberspace, exploitation of software and hardware vulnerabilities had sent alarm bells ringing.

As there is no regulatory framework to ensure the responsible uses of cyberspace, these developments posed grave risk to international stability, he added.

Pakistan’s deputy UN envoy said that we have witnessed firsthand the dangers posed by such technology when hostile actors were found using spyware tools to target our citizens, public figures and state entities.

“Such malicious actions are clearly in breach of global norms of responsible state behavior, and more importantly, a violation of the principles of UN Charter including the non-use of force, state sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of States,” he stated.

He said Pakistan was committed to fostering international dialogue on the formulation of a global legal framework for cyberspace, emphasizing the urgency of addressing gaps in existing international law.

There should be a proposed framework to prohibit ICT activities that damage critical infrastructure, introduce harmful vulnerabilities, or compromise supply-chain security.

Moreover, regulatory mechanisms should be developed against the misuse of surveillance technologies, including spyware.

There should be also mechanisms for resolving issues such as attribution challenges and secure cross-border data exchange.

The envoy also stressed the need promote confidence-building measures in cybersecurity to ensure global stability.

The ambassador said that his country was ready to collaborate with member states to ensure a secure and stable digital environment, essential for sustainable development. 

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