The federal government is set to relaunch the ‘BEEP’ application for government officials in the coming months.

Chief Executive Officer of the National Information Technology Board (NITB), Faisal Ratyal, informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecom on Tuesday that the BEEP application has been locally developed and certified by all relevant government agencies.

It is pertinent to note that former IT Minister Syed Amin Ul Haque had launched Beep Pakistan in August 2023, beginning with a trial run. The former federal minister, who is now Chairman of the National Assembly IT & Telecom Committee, allocated time to the National Information Technology Board (NITB) to discuss the matter. Mr Haque asked the NITB CEO to ensure the timely rollout of the application.

Ratyal informed the committee that the purpose of launching BEEP is to provide a secure messaging platform for public sector employees across the country. He added that the app will be launched in phases, starting with federal ministries and their attached departments.

“The rollout is expected to begin within the next two months. The app will be integrated with Pakistan’s federal e-Office system to enable secure messaging, document sharing, and workflow coordination within government institutions,” the NITB CEO said.

BEEP offers enhanced security features, including full encryption for text messaging and video calls used by government officials. The committee had earlier raised concerns regarding data security and the safety of official communications, particularly in light of global conflicts witnessed in 2024.

The committee was informed that new features have been incorporated into the BEEP app, including end-to-end encryption for video communications, making it suitable for sensitive government discussions.

Responding to queries regarding the operational costs of the app, Ratyal said BEEP will operate on a usage-based fee model, and efforts are underway to make the platform financially self-sustaining over time. The Secretary IT clarified that revenue generation is not the primary objective of the app, and the main priority remains secure, efficient, and reliable communication across state institutions.

The committee was also informed that the National Computer Emergency Response Team (NCERT) has formally cleared BEEP for official deployment.

Currently, WhatsApp, owned by Meta, remains the most widely used platform for voice and video calls and media sharing; however, its data servers are located outside Pakistan. In contrast, BEEP’s data servers are based within the country, and its security features are more stringent, inspired by platforms such as WeChat.

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