ISLAMABAD: The government has once again asked its employees to refrain from using social media to express political or religious opinions as well as from sharing information with any unauthorised government official or the media.

In a circular issued on Monday, the Establishment Division referred to the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules 1964 that barred the employees from making any statement capable of embarrassing the government in any document published or in any communication made to the press or in any public utterance or television programme.

The fresh circular by the Establishment Division alluded to similar circulars issued in August 2021 and July 2020 which said the government servants could not appear on any media platform without the government’s permission. It said the rules also barred a government servant from expressing views against the ideology and integrity of Pakistan or any government policy or decision.

The government employees have been warned that violation of one or more of these instructions will be tantamount to misconduct and disciplinary action can be taken against the delinquent government servant under Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020.

Circular stops govt employees from expressing political, religious opinions, sharing information with unauthorised persons

The circular said despite the instructions and legal framework, it “has been observed that government servants often engage themselves with social media…that enable users to create and share contents or participate in social networking such as virtual communities and online groups”.

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“They, while using different social media platforms…air their views on a host of subjects, sometimes indulge in actions or behaviour that does not conform to the required standards of official conduct,” the circular added.

Government officials have been directed to abstain from showing their political party affiliations or even engaging in business promotions without proper permission.

“In order to maintain their impartiality and objectivity in performance, the government employees will not take part in any discussion on social media or exchange or forward information or messages that express their opinion on political issues,” the circular said, adding that the employees will not participate in furthering of any information especially pertaining to government matters that, prima facie, appears to be unauthentic and misleading.

The circular also said that the instructions were not intended to discourage any constructive and positive use of social media by a government organisation. “However, such an organisation shall edit their social media platforms continuously or frequently to remove offensive, inappropriate and objectionable remarks,” the circular added.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2024