Faced with intensified cyberattacks, Pakistan is nearing the completion of its own new messaging app for communication among key officials.
Pakistan’s information technology ministry has completed 60 percent development work of the country’s own messaging app for mobile phones to be used by the prime minister, cabinet members, and those working on sensitive positions, officials say.
The new mobile app, according to officials, has been developed on the model of the globally popular WhatsApp platform. Besides cybersecurity threats, growing concerns over WhatsApp’s new privacy policy are among the factors that prompted the country’s advisors to go for a new app.
To be named Smart Office, the application will include all modern communication features.
Currently, the government is seeking to expedite work on finalizing Personal Data Protection Bill in this regard.
An investigative report by 17 media organizations revealed that Prime Minister Imran Khan and Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were among those selected as potential targets of the Israeli-made Pegasus spyware program used by India.
The software is used by clients of the NSO Group cyberespionage firm.
The Guardian, one of the media outlets, said the investigation suggested “widespread and continuing abuse” of NSO’s hacking software, described as malware that infects smartphones to enable the extraction of messages, photos and emails; record calls; and secretly activate microphones.
The leaked data had numbers once known to have been used by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Kashmiri leaders, Pakistani diplomats, Chinese journalists, Sikh activists, and business people known to the subject of the police investigation.
