Hajra Naz
One of the country’s largest payment gateways has refuted social media claims that ATMs will be closed for two to three days due to a cyberattack.
1LINK Limited, a consortium of major banks that operates the largest inter-bank network in the country, issued a clarification after a message circulated on social media and WhatsApp claimed ATMs would be closed due to a ransomware attack.
The message also advised against online transactions and stated the report was broadcast on BBC Radio.
BBC Urdu, the local branch of the British network, has denied this claim. They noted that their last broadcast in Pakistan was on Dec 31, 2022, and there have been no recent reports of a cyberattack from BBC.
In their statement, 1LINK assured the public that no cyber threats have been detected in the ATM and online banking systems. They emphasized that the financial industry remains vigilant.
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is collaborating with banks and 1LINK. They aim to secure financial infrastructure and digital payments. They follow strict IT and security guidelines.
