Pakistan has launched ‘Beep Pakistan’ as an alternative to Meta’s WhatsApp. The country’s answer to the most popular messaging app would run on a 30-day trial run in the first phase.

“In the first phase, the app will be used for internal communication between the Ministry of IT and Communication and NITB (National Information Technology Board),” Federal Minister for Information Technology Syed Aminul Haque said at the launching ceremony of the app on Monday.

As per the ministry’s Jan 15, 2021 announcement, the country was two years late in launching the initiative.

In the next two phases, the mobile application would be opened to all government departments and available to the masses across Pakistan.

Read: Each Pakistani will have a mobile phone soon: govt

He was of the view that similar steps were taken in India and Bangladesh. “We have been a bit late in this regard, however, it is better to be late than never.”

Haque explained that the app could be used for data sharing, audio calling, video calling and conference calling – features which are akin to WhatsApp. According to the IT minister, the was 100 per cent safe which he described as its “biggest advantage”

He substantiated his claim by saying that its server and source code would be in Pakistan. He lauded the NITB for its roles in this regard.

“We can now proudly say Pakistan possess a WhatsApp alternative,” he said and added that his ministry has launched 83 projects over the last three years.