ISLAMABAD: The government has issued a directive requiring civil servants to obtain prior approval before using social media.
In an office memorandum released by the Establishment Division, it was reiterated that current regulations prohibit government employees from engaging with any media outlet without official authorization.
Additionally, civil servants are barred from sharing official documents or information with unauthorized individuals, citizens, or the press.
The memorandum stresses that government employees must refrain from expressing opinions or sharing information that could harm the government’s reputation. They are also prohibited from making statements that oppose government policies, decisions, national sovereignty, or the country’s dignity.
According to the memorandum, civil servants are not allowed to make comments that could affect international relations or participate in social media discussions while maintaining impartiality.
The directive instructs all civil servants across various service groups to adhere to these guidelines, warning that violations could result in misconduct proceedings.
Government agencies are encouraged to actively monitor their social media platforms to remove any inappropriate content. Federal secretaries, additional secretaries, department heads, and chief secretaries are responsible for ensuring that these guidelines are followed.
The memorandum clarified that the intention is not to restrict the constructive use of social media.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
