Dr. Haider Abbas

DG, National Cyber Emergency Response Team (PKCERT)

Engr. Dr. Haider Abbas is serving as the Director General of Pakistan’s National Cyber Emergency Response Team (National CERT), Government of Pakistan. A distinguished cybersecurity leader, researcher, innovator, and industry consultant, he has received advanced professional training from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA; Stockholm University and the Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship, Sweden; and IBM, USA. He is also a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) from EC-Council and holds MS and PhD degrees in Information Security from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.

Prior to his current role, Dr. Abbas served as a tenured Professor and Head of Cybersecurity at NUST, Pakistan, and has held international academic and advisory appointments as Foreign Advisor at Florida Institute of Technology (USA), Manchester Metropolitan University (UK), Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Kazakhstan), and the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC).

Dr. Abbas is widely recognized for his contributions to cybersecurity research, innovation, and national capacity building. He has authored over 200 scientific publications and has secured and led numerous national and international research and development initiatives in cybersecurity, digital trust, and emerging technologies. As Director General of National CERT, he has played a pivotal role in strengthening Pakistan’s national cyber resilience, advancing cybersecurity governance, enhancing incident response capabilities, and fostering international cooperation. His leadership has contributed to Pakistan’s improved standing and international recognition in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI).

His contributions have been recognized through numerous national and international distinctions. He was twice declared the Overall Best Researcher, Best Innovator, and Top Performer across all NUST constituent colleges and schools. His notable awards include the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) conferred by the Government of Pakistan, the IEEE Lifetime Achievement Award, the PTA Cybersecurity Award for contributions towards strengthening Pakistan’s cybersecurity ecosystem and supporting the country's improved performance in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index, the Research Productivity Award from the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology (PCST), the CyberPatriot Award (USA), the Asia-Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) Award, and multiple P@SHA ICT Awards, along with several international best paper and research excellence awards.

In recognition of his outstanding professional standing and contributions to the global research community, Dr. Abbas has been elected as a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), UK; the British Computer Society (BCS), UK; and the Institute of Science and Technology (IST), UK, as one of the youngest recipients of these prestigious distinctions. He was also appointed as Pakistan’s first ACM Distinguished Speaker by ACM (Association for Computing Machinery), USA, and elevated to the grade of Senior Member of IEEE.

With a unique blend of academic excellence, industry expertise, policy leadership, and national service, Dr. Haider Abbas continues to play a leading role in shaping Pakistan’s cybersecurity landscape, strengthening digital resilience, and advancing international collaboration for a secure and trusted digital future.