ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: As part of the Foreign Minister’s ‘Vision FO’, a platform for thought leadership at the Foreign Office in Islamabad, the Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi launched a new App “FM Direct” digitally on Friday.
The event was attended by over 60 Heads of Missions of Pakistan online across different geographical and time zones.
The Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood, the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Digital Pakistan Tania Aidrus, the CEO National Information Technology Board (NITB) Shabahat Ali Shah, the Prime Minister’s Focal Person on Digital Media Dr. Arslan Khalid, the Digital Expert Imran Ghazali, the Chairman NADRA Usman Yousaf Mobin, and members of FM’s digital diplomacy group, digital experts and senior officials of the ministry.
The ‘FM Direct APP’ is a new and evolved way of thinking, encapsulating the spirit of meritocracy and transparency within the Foreign Office through digital communication.
Launching the ‘FM Direct APP’, Qureshi said that the purpose of FM Direct is to involve all officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs both at the Headquarters and Missions aboard in an interactive dialogue for the exchange of ideas.
The App provides an opportunity to each officer, irrespective of grade and location, to reach out to the foreign minister directly and share their views independently and without any restriction.
The App was launched now specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the Foreign Minister believes in the critical importance of being as connected as possible to ensure multi-stakeholder coordination and dialogue; and indeed it is at a time of great crisis that innovative, game-changing ideas have emerged through history.
The foreign minister thanked the Chairman NADRA for developing the FM Direct App and for ensuring its security and interactive features.
The App will be regularly updated and improved in order to eventually replace other commercially available communication means in the Foreign Office.
Officers from the Missions present also shared their views with the foreign minister and lauded the launch of this modern and innovative communication medium.
The ‘Vision FO’ is part of the Foreign Minister’s Public Diplomacy drive, to craft an environment of thought leadership at the Ministry; to promote a macro vision, digital landscape and an evolved/transparent way of communications.
FM @SMQureshiPTI launched the digital communication App ‘FM Direct’ as part of his ‘Vision FO’ for digitization & enhanced e-governance in @ForeignOfficePk today.
The launch was attended by over 60 Missions through Zoom across diverse geographic and time zones. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/1OlO06gmLF
— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) April 17, 2020
It was an unprecedented technology driven exchange with such a large number of MoFA officers in real time.
‘FM Direct’ will enable FO officers at HQs & Missions to communicate directly with FM & contribute in policy making process. 2/2
— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) April 17, 2020
