Pakistan plans to launch its own WhatsApp-like messaging app, Smart Office, by June 2021. In addition to speeding up the completion of the Personal Data Act, this was announced on Friday.
In response to recent security concerns among global users and masses in Pakistan over the new WhatsApp privacy policy, Federal Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunications Minister Aminul Haque said the Pakistani government will launch the Smart Office app by June 2021.
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واٹس ایپ کا متبادل
— Ministry of IT & Telecom (@MoitOfficial) January 15, 2021
یہ حق صارف سے نہیں چھینا جاسکتا کہ وہ اپنا ڈیٹا کسی کو شیئر کرنے کی اجازت دے یا نہ دے، اس پر کوئی کمپنی اپنی مرضی مسلط نہیں کرسکتی۔ اور ہم سمجھتے ہیں کہ اس سے صارفین کے حقوق بری طرح متاثر ہوسکتے ہیں۔
(سید امین الحق)#WhatsappPrivacy #WhatsApp #MOITT pic.twitter.com/A48Z0ED0zL
In this regard, all such digital platforms need to strengthen their engagements with Government of Pakistan so that concerns of General Public and businesses can be well addressed by all means.
— Ministry of IT & Telecom (@MoitOfficial) January 13, 2021
In a statement from the IT ministry, Haque said the federal cabinet had commissioned the development of a WhatsApp-like app for government employees, adding that it was now necessary to speed up work on the Personal Data Act.
He claimed that the government was fully aware of WhatsApp users ‘concerns about their policy update and that users’ privacy rights could not be violated. He also expressed serious concern about WhatsApp’s plan to delete user accounts as the policy update was not accepted. “WhatsApp should have asked users’ opinions before updating its policy. No company can impose restrictions on the decisions of its users,” he said.
