On April 4th, Abrar ul Haq convinced President Arif Alvi to approve the launch of an application under the name of “Muhafiz”, developed by Pakistan Red Crescent (PRC), developed to fight COVID-19 in Pakistan.
Abrar-ul-Haq, however, did not inform the President that the Mohafiz Application already exists, and was created by Humanetek Pvt. Ltd. more than five years ago, and Humanetek Pvt. Ltd. also holds the trademark and copyright registration of the application. Mohafiz Application already has over 80,000 downloads, and provides end-to-end holistic emergency management and has contributed positively in the lives of thousands of Pakistani citizens.
What Abrar ul Haq also failed to mention was that an MOU was signed between Mohafiz and PRC in 2016, in order to collaborate on blood donations.
Here is where the matter gets complicated.
On 4th march, 2020 – exactly one month before the launch of the stolen app -- the CEO of Humanetek, Fahd Mahmood Khan, met Abrar ul Haq and suggested that the PRC should use Humanetek’s Mohafiz Application as a response initiative against COVID-19. Abrar ul Haq took the idea very positively – perhaps, too positively.
After their meeting, rumors about a new Muhafiz app from the PRC began to surface. Upon hearing this news, Fahd Mahmood Khan CEO Humanetek, tried contacting Abrar ul Haq formally and informally multiple times but he ignored all such attempts at communication. In fact, a formal letter was sent to Abrar ul Haq on the 3rd April, requesting him not to launch the app or change its name.
Soon after, Abrar ul Haq presented the idea of “Muhafiz” application, which was stolen blatantly. In fact, he involved the President in this unscrupulous affair too, by simply changing the letter “o” to “u”.
Now, news channels are announcing that the Pakistan Red Crescent has launched an application named “Muhafiz”, thereby undermining years of hard work of honest citizens and private organizations. Situations like these really beg the question of the kind of people that now make it to important positions, simply because of their fame.
It also raises concern about the future of technology in Pakistan. When people in important positions steal and copy existing applications and concepts, one is forced to ask if the tech-space really is a democratic arena. The public expected better from Abrar ul Haq, and he has let down thousands of fans in the process of stealing the Mohafiz app.
Press release by Humanetek Pvt. Ltd.
Naya Daur tried to contact Abrarul Haq for his response to the allegations and we are awaiting a response..
Abrar-ul-Haq, however, did not inform the President that the Mohafiz Application already exists, and was created by Humanetek Pvt. Ltd. more than five years ago, and Humanetek Pvt. Ltd. also holds the trademark and copyright registration of the application. Mohafiz Application already has over 80,000 downloads, and provides end-to-end holistic emergency management and has contributed positively in the lives of thousands of Pakistani citizens.
What Abrar ul Haq also failed to mention was that an MOU was signed between Mohafiz and PRC in 2016, in order to collaborate on blood donations.
Here is where the matter gets complicated.
On 4th march, 2020 – exactly one month before the launch of the stolen app -- the CEO of Humanetek, Fahd Mahmood Khan, met Abrar ul Haq and suggested that the PRC should use Humanetek’s Mohafiz Application as a response initiative against COVID-19. Abrar ul Haq took the idea very positively – perhaps, too positively.
After their meeting, rumors about a new Muhafiz app from the PRC began to surface. Upon hearing this news, Fahd Mahmood Khan CEO Humanetek, tried contacting Abrar ul Haq formally and informally multiple times but he ignored all such attempts at communication. In fact, a formal letter was sent to Abrar ul Haq on the 3rd April, requesting him not to launch the app or change its name.
Soon after, Abrar ul Haq presented the idea of “Muhafiz” application, which was stolen blatantly. In fact, he involved the President in this unscrupulous affair too, by simply changing the letter “o” to “u”.
Now, news channels are announcing that the Pakistan Red Crescent has launched an application named “Muhafiz”, thereby undermining years of hard work of honest citizens and private organizations. Situations like these really beg the question of the kind of people that now make it to important positions, simply because of their fame.
It also raises concern about the future of technology in Pakistan. When people in important positions steal and copy existing applications and concepts, one is forced to ask if the tech-space really is a democratic arena. The public expected better from Abrar ul Haq, and he has let down thousands of fans in the process of stealing the Mohafiz app.
Press release by Humanetek Pvt. Ltd.
Naya Daur tried to contact Abrarul Haq for his response to the allegations and we are awaiting a response..