The Chief Minister's Vision for a Secure Punjab
وژن ۲۰۲۶ — ڈیجیٹل پنجاب، محفوظ پنجاب
Vision 2026 commits the Government of the Punjab to a simple, measurable goal: a province whose digital future is defended by its own young people — trained free of cost, selected on merit, and drawn from every district.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif
Chief Minister of the Punjab
Every young person in Punjab deserves the skills to thrive in a digital world — and the responsibility to protect it.
When we speak of a digital Punjab, we are not speaking only of fibre-optic cables and online portals. We are speaking of a farmer's daughter in Bahawalnagar who can bank without fear, of a small business in Sialkot whose records are safe, and of government services that citizens can trust with their most personal information.
None of that is possible without people — trained, ethical, home-grown professionals who understand both the technology and the trust placed in them. That is why Mehfooz Punjab is not a short course or a seminar series. It is a complete pathway: free training, real laboratories, recognised certification, and a route into honourable employment.
I have insisted on three things. That selection be on merit alone. That no district, and no daughter of this province, be left out. And that the quality of training match anything available in the private market — because the young people of Punjab deserve nothing less.
To every applicant: this programme is our promise to you. Bring your talent and your integrity, and your province will stand behind the rest.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif
Chief Minister of the Punjab · وزیرِ اعلیٰ پنجاب
What the vision stands on
Four commitments that turn a political promise into a working programme — each with measurable targets and named institutions behind it.
Digital Safety for Every Citizen
A Punjab where every citizen — from a shopkeeper in Multan to a student in Sialkot — can bank, learn, and work online without fear.
- Province-wide cyber awareness campaigns
- Safe digital practices taught in schools and colleges
- Support for citizens targeted by online fraud
Youth Empowerment
Punjab's greatest asset is its young people. The vision turns that demographic strength into a professional cyber workforce.
- 25,000+ free training seats in the first phase
- Merit-based selection open to all backgrounds
- A direct route from training to employment
Inclusive Access
Opportunity must not stop at the city limits of Lahore. Every district, every gender, every income level has a seat at the table.
- Training centres across all 36 districts
- Reserved seats for women in every cohort
- Hybrid and evening batches for working students
Provincial Cyber Resilience
A home-grown talent pipeline that defends Punjab's hospitals, banks, utilities, and government services against a rising threat landscape.
- Graduates feeding provincial and national CERTs
- SOC-ready analysts for critical institutions
- Alignment with the National Cyber Security Policy
From charter to province-wide scale
A phased plan, published and reviewed annually — so progress can be measured against promises.
- 20242024Delivered
Foundation
The programme is chartered under the Chief Minister's digital agenda, with PITB appointed as implementation partner.
- Programme charter approved by the provincial cabinet
- First cyber labs commissioned in Lahore
- Curriculum co-designed with industry and academia
- 20252025Delivered
Expansion
Regional training centres open across Punjab and the first cohorts graduate into security roles.
- 12 regional centres operational
- First 5,000 students trained and assessed
- Placement network launched with banks and telecom operators
- 20262026Underway
Province-Wide Scale
Mehfooz Punjab reaches every district, with expanded capacity, a provincial CTF league, and dedicated women's cohorts.
- Training presence in all 36 districts
- 25,000+ fully funded seats
- Punjab Student CTF Championship held annually
- Beyond 2026Beyond 2026The Road Ahead
A Cyber-Resilient Punjab
The programme matures into a permanent talent pipeline and a centre of excellence recognised across the region.
- Provincial SOC talent pipeline institutionalised
- Applied threat research with partner universities
- Punjab positioned as a regional cybersecurity training hub
Targets we publish, so progress can be judged
Every figure below is a commitment under Vision 2026 — reviewed annually by the programme's steering committee.
- 0+
- Training seats committed in the first provincial phase
- 0
- Districts with training access under Vision 2026
- 0%
- Target share of women across Cohort 2026 intakes
- 0
- Specialised cyber labs powering hands-on training
محفوظ پنجاب، خوشحال پنجاب
A secure Punjab is a prosperous Punjab. When our young people guard our digital borders, every citizen stands taller.
Vision 2026 · Government of the Punjab
The vision needs you in it
Vision 2026 is written in policy, but it will be delivered by people — students, instructors, and partners. Take your place in it.
Merit-based selection · Reserved seats for women · All 36 districts