ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s federal authorities are all set to launch a unified communication and collaboration tool for government employees to ensure better and safer official communication, said a senior state functionary on Wednesday.
“Beep Pakistan has been developed by the National Information Technology Board (NITB) and will soon be launched,” Faisal Iqbal Ratyal, director general of the project management office at the NITB, told Arab News.
He said the application would have several features, helping users make phone calls, send text messages and arrange video conferences.
“This application will help government employees send documents, messages and photos without having to worry about the security,” he said.
“Beep Pakistan will be initially used by 20,000 high-ranking government officials with decision-making authority,” Ratyal informed, adding that the scope of the application would be extended to the remaining government functionaries in the next phase.
Asked about the rationale behind developing a separate app for the purpose, he said the government wanted to launch a dedicated platform for official communication to minimize the chances of cyber-attacks and reduce its dependence on third party applications.
“Many neighboring countries like Singapore and India have already been using indigenously developed apps for official communication,” he maintained.
“Beep Pakistan will also have end-to-end encryption,” the NITB official said. “There are multiple firewalls and security layers to protect users.”
While he maintained the application would not affect user privacy, digital rights activists suspected it was an attempt to eavesdrop on government officials.
“With so many apps offering end-to-end encryption in market, the government is likely to use this one to monitor employee communication,” Usama Khilji, who heads an organization working for internet safety, told Arab News.
Nighat Dad, another digital rights activist, argued that the government would need to pay attention to several factors to make the app a success.
“It will not only have to convince its employees that the app is not tracking them but also guarantee that it comes with a strong data protection policy,” she said.
Pakistan to introduce cellphone app for government officials to replace WhatsApp
https://arab.news/vuhb8
Pakistan to introduce cellphone app for government officials to replace WhatsApp
- Beep Pakistan is developed by the National Information Technology Board and will help government employees make phone calls, send messages and hold video conferences
- Digital rights activists believe the government plans to monitor communication among its officials by launching the app
Pakistan’s top military commander hails Saudi defense pact as ‘historic’ at scholars’ conference
- Asim Munir says Pakistan has a unique bond with the Kingdom, citing the ‘honor’ of helping safeguard the holy sites
- He says only the state can declare jihad, urging religious scholars to counter extremist narratives and promote unity
ISLAMABAD: Chief of Defense Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Wednesday described the country’s joint security pact with Saudi Arabia as a “historic” milestone, telling a gathering of religious scholars that Pakistan and the kingdom share a deep strategic relationship.
Signed in September, the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement has solidified decades of Saudi–Pakistan defense cooperation, covering intelligence-sharing, counterterrorism and regional stability.
The two nations have long coordinated on defense matters, with Pakistani military personnel deployed in the Kingdom.
“The defense agreement [with Saudi Arabia] is historic,” he said in an address to the conference in the federal capital.
The top military commander said Pakistan regarded its connection with the Kingdom as unique.
“Among all Muslim countries, Allah has given Pakistan the honor of helping safeguard the Haramain,” he continued, referring to the two holiest sites of Islam in Makkah and Madinah.
Munir used his speech to warn against extremism, saying that under the Islamic framework, only the state could declare jihad, a pointed reference to groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which claims to act in the name of religion while carrying out attacks on civilians and security forces.
“When nations abandon knowledge and the pen, disorder takes hold,” he said, urging the religious scholars to help keep society unified and to “broaden the nation’s vision.”
Munir also criticized India, describing “terrorism” as “India’s habit, not Pakistan’s.”
His remarks came months after a four-day military confrontation in May, during which the two nuclear-armed neighbors exchanged artillery and missile fire and deployed drones and fighter jets.
India blamed Pakistan for a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir before launching a missile attack. Islamabad denied involvement and called for an international probe.
Pakistan claimed it had shot down six Indian fighter jets before a US-brokered ceasefire took effect.
“We do not hide when confronting the enemy,” Munir said. “We challenge openly.”
