Islamabad: In a significant development for Pakistan’s IT sector, Federal Minister for Information Technology Syed Amin Ul Haque unveiled “Beep Pakistan,” the nation’s answer to the widely used messaging platform, WhatsApp.
At the launch ceremony of Beep Pakistan, Amin emphasized the moment’s significance, highlighting that the introduction of Beep Pakistan marked a pivotal juncture for the country’s IT industry.
He stated that the communication app is set to undergo a 30-day trial run, marking the first phase of its implementation.
Initially, the usage of Beep Pakistan will be confined to internal communications between the Ministry of IT and Communication and the National Information Technology Board (NITB).
Subsequent phases will gradually expand, with the Beep Pakistan being extended to all government departments in the second phase and eventually becoming accessible to the general public across Pakistan in the third phase.
Amin Ul Haque acknowledged the precedent set by neighboring countries like India and Bangladesh, which have already launched their alternatives to WhatsApp. While acknowledging that Pakistan entered this arena slightly later, he expressed that tardiness outweighed the importance of progressing in this direction.
Discussing Beep Pakistan’s features, the minister highlighted its versatility, encompassing data sharing, audio and video calling, and conference calling capabilities. One of the app’s advantages lies in its robust security, as it will be hosted on servers and developed using source code in Pakistan.
Haque commended the instrumental role played by the National Information Technology Board (NITB) in bringing this project to fruition. He proudly stated that Pakistan can now claim to have its alternative to WhatsApp.
Over the past three and a half years, the Ministry of IT has undertaken 83 new projects for Rs77 billion across various regions of Pakistan. Notably, a focus has been placed on enhancing connectivity in second-and third-tier cities.
In terms of digital skills development, the Ministry has imparted digital skills training to over 3.3 million young learners. Furthermore, they established three additional National Incubation Centers (NIC) during their tenure, further bolstering Pakistan’s IT landscape.
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