Saturday, March 29, 2025
Pakistan finance ministry account hacked during a time of heightened tensions with India, triggering diplomatic and cybersecurity concerns. Hackers took control of the ministry’s official handle on platform X (formerly Twitter) and shared a fabricated post appealing for international loans, citing India-Pakistan hostilities.
The post, attributed falsely to the Ministry of Finance, referenced the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam and requested foreign assistance to ease escalating tensions with India. Pakistani officials have denied issuing any such statement and have formally asked X to deactivate the compromised account.
Authorities clarified, “No appeal for foreign aid has been made by our ministry, nor have we released any statement related to India-Pakistan tensions via our social media.”
This cyber incident comes shortly after retaliatory action by Indian forces on May 6 against terror camps in Pakistan, reportedly killing over 100 militants. In response, Pakistan launched missile and drone strikes over two nights — 15 locations targeted on Wednesday and 11 on Thursday. However, India’s air defense systems successfully intercepted and neutralized all incoming missiles, causing no damage.
The government of Pakistan believes the hacking is a deliberate attempt to manipulate global perception and undermine its diplomatic credibility. Officials are now investigating the breach and reviewing digital security protocols across other ministries.
Following the hacking episode, Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance requested X to take immediate action to suspend the account until full control is restored. Cybersecurity experts have been deployed to trace the origin of the attack and prevent future intrusions.
