The Pakistan Army has instructed its officers, soldiers, and administrative staff to gradually phase out the use of WhatsApp. They have now been directed to use the Chinese messaging platform WeChat for official and military communications. WhatsApp is owned by the American company Meta. This decision comes at a time when defense and strategic cooperation between Pakistan and China is steadily strengthening.
Army Issues Internal Order
The Pakistan Army issued an internal order directing military officers, soldiers, and administrative staff to gradually stop using WhatsApp. The order mandates that all official and military communications be shifted to WeChat. It is worth noting that WeChat is China’s largest “super app”; beyond just chatting, it facilitates video calls, file transfers, and even payments.
Significantly, WeChat has been banned in India for several years and cannot be used within the country. The Army has argued that there is a higher risk of espionage, data leaks, and conversation hacking associated with the American-owned WhatsApp. Consequently, trust is now being placed in the Chinese app WeChat, which is used by millions of people in China.
China-Pakistan Military Cooperation to Strengthen Further
Adopting WeChat will enable the digital communication systems of Pakistan and China to operate more effectively with each other. This could facilitate the sharing of military information, improve communication during joint operations, and enhance coordination between intelligence agencies. Defense ties between China and Pakistan have strengthened rapidly over the past few years. Previously, cooperation between the two nations was primarily limited to defense equipment, with Pakistan purchasing fighter jets, warships, and air defense systems from China.
Now, both countries are also collaborating to strengthen cyber capabilities, develop secure communication systems, establish shared communication protocols, and improve intelligence networks. The decision to adopt WeChat is seen as part of this broader cooperation.
WeChat Banned in India
The Government of India banned 59 Chinese apps, including WeChat, in June 2020. This list also included popular apps such as TikTok and UC Browser. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology stated that there was credible evidence indicating user data was being transmitted to China-based servers via these apps. These apps were banned under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, in the interest of national security.
This decision was taken approximately two weeks after the clash between Indian and Chinese forces in the Galwan Valley in 2020.
