Government readies ‘BEEP’ app to replace WhatsApp for official use

Taking inspiration from the Chinese 'WeChat' platform, Pakistan will launch its 'BEEP' app for government officials in the coming months.

"The app is almost ready for rollout, and the project will meet its deadline of June 30, 2026," the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT & Telecom was informed on Tuesday.

Committee Chairman Syed Aminul Haque asked National Information Technology Board (NITB) Chief Executive Faisal Ratyal to ensure the timely rollout of BEEP. The committee was informed that the application had been developed locally and certified by all relevant government agencies.

"The purpose of launching BEEP is to provide a secure messaging platform for public-sector employees nationwide," Ratyal remarked. He added that the app would be launched in phases, starting with federal ministries and attached departments.

"The rollout is expected to start in the next two months, and it will be integrated with the federal e-Office system to allow secure messaging, document sharing and workflow coordination within government institutions," the NITB CEO said.

BEEP offers stronger security features with full encryption for text messaging and video calls used by government officials. The committee had earlier raised concerns over the security of data and official communication, keeping in view the incidents that occurred during global conflicts in 2024.

Now, new features have been incorporated into the app. The NITB CEO told the NA panel that BEEP extends end-to-end encryption to video communications and was suitable for sensitive government discussions. Responding to a query about the operational cost of BEEP, Ratyal emphasised that the app would be run on a usage-based fee model and efforts were underway to make the platform financially self-sustaining over time.

Speaking at the meeting, the IT secretary clarified that revenue generation was not the primary objective of the app, and the top priority was to ensure secure, efficient, and reliable communication across state institutions. The committee was informed that the National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT) had given the go-ahead for official deployment of the app.

Currently, Meta-owned WhatsApp is the most widely used platform for voice and video calls, as well as media file sharing. However, its data servers are stationed outside the country. In the case of BEEP, not only is its data server based in Pakistan, but its security features are also stringent, modelled on the Chinese WeChat platform.

Earlier, the government had launched the federal e-Office system to reduce paperwork and improve transparency. Officials believe BEEP integration will further strengthen internal coordination and reduce operational risks.

Discussing the next agenda item, lawmakers expressed no confidence in Pakistan's internet and telecom services and rejected the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority's (PTA) claim of 99% user satisfaction. Committee Chairman Aminul Haque challenged the data presented by the PTA in its Quality of Service report, where it claimed 99% satisfaction rate for mobile signals nationwide.

Panel members unanimously rejected the figure, saying frequent internet slowdowns and weak mobile signals contradicted the regulator's assessment. They described the claim as incomprehensible given the prevailing conditions.

Sadiq Memon, a committee member, denounced the report and questioned the seriousness of the regulator's approach. He termed the data ridiculous, saying that the gap was worsening between official reporting and public experience. MNA Sharmila Faruqui questioned the methodology being used by the PTA to conduct surveys. She called for undertaking future Quality of Service surveys by third parties rather than the regulator itself. She also argued that external audits were essential to bring credibility and ensure transparency in reporting.

The committee recalled that it had previously directed that the 5G spectrum auction should be held in Pakistani rupees and that spectrum prices should not be set unnecessarily high. Furthermore, it said that any discount or concession granted to telecom operators during the auction should be strictly linked to the utilisation of such benefits for network and infrastructure improvement.