The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) is moving ahead with the launch of the Pak Awaaz Secure Mobile Communication Ecosystem, a new initiative aimed at providing government officials with a dedicated, cyber-secure mobile communication platform.
The project has received in-principle approval from the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), according to ministry officials.
With an estimated cost of Rs. 708 million, the initiative will provide 10,000 secure smartphones to government officials. The locally manufactured devices will feature a hardware root of trust and run on an indigenously developed hardened operating system to safeguard official communications against cyber threats and unauthorized access.
The project will be implemented by the National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC), which will establish a private mobile communication network using existing cellular infrastructure. Unlike conventional mobile services, the network will remain completely isolated from public mobile networks and will rely on centralized multi-factor authentication based on the user, SIM card, and device for secure access.
The ecosystem will also include a dedicated communication platform offering end-to-end encrypted voice and video calls, instant messaging, and secure file sharing. It will be supported by centralized application management, administration systems, and a Network Operations Center (NOC), with the entire infrastructure hosted at the NTC Data Centre.
As part of the project, the government will also create a sovereign software ecosystem featuring a private app store, secure messaging services, controlled directory management, and a secure mechanism for distributing official applications.
Officials said government platforms such as the e-Office system will be integrated into the secure mobile ecosystem, enabling protected digital workflows and strengthening the cybersecurity of official communications across government departments.
