Pakistan is preparing to launch a locally developed secure messaging application, “Beep,” for government employees in the coming months, as authorities move to tighten digital communication within the public sector, local media reported on Wednesday.
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecom was informed on Tuesday that the app, inspired by the Chinese social media platform WeChat, is nearly ready and is expected to meet its project deadline of June 30, 2026, the Dawn newspaper reported.
National Information Technology Board (NITB) Chief Executive Faisal Iqbal Ratyal told the committee that “Beep” has been developed locally and certified by relevant government agencies for official use, including the National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT), which has formally cleared the app.
Standing Committee Chairman Syed Aminul Haque directed the NITB to ensure the application is rolled out on time.
“The purpose of launching Beep is to provide a secure messaging platform for public sector employees nationwide,” Ratyal said, adding that the rollout would take place in phases, starting with federal ministries and affiliated departments.
The app is expected to be launched within the next two months and integrated with Pakistan’s federal e-Office system, enabling secure messaging, document sharing and workflow coordination. According to the NITB, Beep will offer end-to-end encryption for text messages and video calls used by government officials.
Ratyal stressed that additional security features had been incorporated to address the concerns raised by the committee members amid recent global incidents that underscored vulnerabilities in digital platforms regarding data security and the protection of official communications.
Beep’s encryption standards had been strengthened to make it suitable for sensitive discussions, Ratyal added.
The platform would operate on a usage-based fee model, and efforts were underway to make it financially self-sustaining over time, said the NITB chief.
Officials said Beep’s servers would be based in Pakistan, with stricter security safeguards inspired by WeChat, while noting that although WhatsApp is a widely used platform for voice calls, video calls and media sharing, its data servers are located outside the country.
The committee was also briefed that the federal e-Office system had been introduced to reduce paperwork and improve transparency, and that integrating Beep was expected to strengthen internal coordination and reduce operational risks.