Pakistan’s government has banned its employees from sharing political or religious opinions with the media and on social media platforms.
The Establishment Division has reportedly issued an office memorandum for government employees. According to the rules, no government employee can speak on any media platform without the government’s permission.
The employees are also not allowed to share official documents or information with unrelated employees, citizens, or the press.
The public servants cannot express opinions and facts on the media or social media, which may affect the government’s reputation.
Civil servants, too, cannot speak to the media, which could affect relations with other countries.
The office memorandum also clearly states that violating guidelines will result in consequences and that all government employees must adhere to the set instructions.
The memorandum also highlights that government institutions have been ordered to actively monitor and remove objectionable content from their social media platforms. All federal secretaries, additional secretaries, heads of departments, and chief secretaries are expected to ensure the implementation of the directives.
