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 assembly speaker warns opposition against anti-state remarks in parliament
- Ayaz Sadiq says criticism of judiciary and armed forces will not be allowed on assembly floor
- He calls violence during protests unacceptable, vows neutrality as National Assembly speaker
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said on Saturday that opposition lawmakers would not be allowed to speak against Pakistan, the judiciary or the armed forces on the floor of parliament, calling such remarks unacceptable.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to the eastern city of Lahore, Sadiq said parliamentary debate must remain within constitutional and legal limits, while reiterating his commitment to act impartially as speaker.
“No one will be allowed to speak against Pakistan, the judiciary or the armed forces on the floor of the National Assembly,” Sadiq said. “Negative or controversial remarks about judges or the armed forces are unacceptable.”
His comments come amid heightened political tensions after opposition groups held protests in the past, criticizing state institutions and targeting government and military properties.
The speaker said peaceful protest was a democratic right but drew a sharp line at violence and vandalism.
“Protest is the right of every citizen in a democratic society, but it must remain peaceful and within the bounds of the constitution and the law,” he continued, adding that arson, damage to property and the use of sticks or weapons in the name of protest were “unacceptable” and posed a threat to the rule of law.
“No opposition lawmaker will be allowed to speak on the National Assembly floor if they speak against Pakistan,” Sadiq said.
The speaker also noted the country’s economic indicators were gradually improving, citing an increase in foreign exchange reserves, and said Pakistan had further strengthened relations with countries including the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.
