Punjab government has banned any action leading to or resulting in the sharing of official documents through WhatsApp by government offices over the risk of confidential information being potentially leaked to irrelevant persons.
According to a notification issued on February 14, the order of banning WhatsApp use has been issued by the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) in light of a decision taken in a meeting of the Cabinet Division on January 31.
With regard to the orders, the Punjab commissioner of Overseas Pakistanis Commission, the Punjab Government Servants Housing Foundation MD, the Anti-Corruption DG and Punjab Procurement Regularity Authority MD have been sent a letter. Moreover, all section officers, law officers and state officers have also been informed about the orders, according to which, the ban will be implemented immediately.
The provincial authorities had earlier received complaints that authorities in government departments were using WhatsApp to execute day-to-day matters pertaining to office work as documents were being exchanged on the messaging service. WhatsApp groups had been formed for this purpose and documents were reportedly being leaked.
According to The Express Tribune, as per the new SOPs, official files will be delivered to the department concerned following the customary practice. Keeping in view the situation, an old procedure will be followed in government offices and SOPs will be followed accordingly.
