Pakistan TV channel says cyberattack attempt on broadcasts foiled

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani television channel said on Friday it had thwarted an attempted cyberattack on its broadcast system that it alleged involved hackers linked to Afghanistan and supported by Indian facilitators.

Khyber Network said in a statement that hackers attempted to breach its transmission systems between 10:30 pm and 2:15 am on March 12.

The channel said the attempt was successfully blocked through timely action by state authorities and the broadcaster’s technical team, preventing any disruption to its transmissions.

“State institutions and the channel’s technical team acted promptly and effectively, completely foiling the malicious attempt,” the statement said.

The broadcaster claimed the hackers were based in Afghanistan and had assistance from Indian facilitators, though it did not provide further details.

The incident follows a series of cyber attacks earlier this month targeting Pakistani media outlets and websites.

On March 1, attempts were made to hack systems of several private television channels in Pakistan, including Geo News, while multiple websites were also targeted in cyberattacks. Initial reports said some websites were temporarily compromised before technical teams began restoration efforts.

Authorities also reported attempts to interfere with satellite frequencies used by certain television channels, which caused temporary transmission disruptions in some areas.

Officials said measures were being taken to restore systems and further strengthen broadcast security.

No official statement has yet been issued by the government regarding the nature of the attacks or the parties responsible. Security agencies and cyber experts are investigating the incident.

Experts say cyber threats often increase during periods of regional tensions, highlighting the need for stronger protection of digital infrastructure.