Pakistan Govt. warns employees against expressing political and religious views on social media

The government of Pakistan has once again directed its employees to avoid expressing political or religious views on social media and sharing information with unauthorised officials or the media. This follows a new circular issued on Monday by the Establishment Division, which referred to the Pakistan Government Servants (Conduct) Rules of 1964.

The decision comes after the Pakistan government barred all government employees from using social media platforms except with the permission of the government to prevent leak of official information and documents through a notification issued by the Pakistan Establishment Division on 25 August 2024.

The latest directive references earlier notices from August 2021 and July 2020, which similarly barred government employees from engaging with media platforms without official permission. Furthermore, it reinforces the prohibition of any statements that might oppose the ideology and integrity of Pakistan, or any government policies and decisions.

The government employees of Pakistan have been warned that violating these guidelines will be considered misconduct, potentially leading to disciplinary action under the Pakistan Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020.

The circular notes that, despite existing rules, many civil servants remain active on social media platforms, where they share opinions and participate in online discussions. It emphasises that such behaviour often conflicts with the standards of official conduct expected of them. Civil servants have also been instructed not to show political affiliations or promote businesses without proper authorisation.

The government, however, clarified through the circular that the instructions were not intended to discourage the constructive or positive use of social media by its institutions. It advised that official accounts should be monitored regularly to remove any offensive or inappropriate remarks.