The head of a Pakistani parliamentary committee on technology said on Wednesday that a domestically developed messaging platform for government use has successfully completed its trial phase and will be introduced gradually, even as lawmakers voiced frustration over poor Internet connectivity during a committee session a day earlier.
Pakistan first announced the development of the secure messaging app, called Beep, last year, saying it was created by local engineers to cut dependence on foreign platforms and enhance data security by keeping official communications within the country.
Syed Amin-ul-Haque, chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication, said work on the app began in 2021 during his tenure as information technology minister.
“Beep is now ready and will be launched in three phases,” he told Arab News. “The first phase involved internal trials within the ministry, which have been completed successfully.”
He explained that the second phase will see the app rolled out to all 44 federal ministries for official communication, while the final phase will make the platform available to the general public.
According to Amin-ul-Haque, Beep supports text, voice and video messaging, as well as document sharing. He highlighted data localization as the app’s main advantage.
“All data will remain within Pakistan and will not be stored abroad, unlike other messaging applications,” he said.
During a committee meeting on Tuesday, a senior official from the National Information Technology Board (NITB) said the final deadline for the nationwide rollout of Beep was June 30, 2026.
In a statement released after the meeting, lawmakers commended the NITB, describing its work as effective and aligned with national priorities. However, the committee expressed dissatisfaction with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), citing repeated complaints about poor Internet quality and a lack of noticeable improvement.
The statement said official reports claiming satisfactory service levels did not reflect reality, as users continued to face “severe difficulties” accessing the Internet, with connectivity in some areas described as nearly nonexistent.
Lawmakers also urged that the upcoming 5G spectrum auction be conducted transparently, held in Pakistani rupees, and priced reasonably. Any incentives offered to telecom operators, they added, should be linked to tangible improvements in network coverage and infrastructure.
Internet users across Pakistan have complained in recent months about slow 4G speeds, particularly disruptions affecting calls on WhatsApp.
Last year, reports that the government was installing an Internet firewall to regulate online content sparked concern among digital rights groups. The PTA has denied that such a firewall caused service disruptions, attributing slow speeds instead to aging infrastructure and increased data usage.