Govt bans civil servants from speaking on media, social media platforms

Memorandum clarifies that the aim is not to impose restrictions on the positive use of social media

The government has issued a directive prohibiting civil servants from speaking on media and social media platforms without prior approval, Express News reported.

The Establishment Division released an office memorandum stating that, under existing rules, no government employee is allowed to speak on any media platform without government permission. Civil servants are also barred from sharing any official documents or information with unauthorised employees, citizens, or the press.

The memorandum further stated that government employees are not permitted to express opinions or disclose facts on media or social media that could harm the government's reputation. Additionally, they are prohibited from making comments against government policy, decisions, national sovereignty, or the dignity of the country.

According to the memorandum, civil servants are not allowed to make statements that could affect relations with other countries or engage in social media debates while maintaining their impartiality.

The directive instructs all civil servants from various service groups to adhere to these guidelines, warning that any violation could lead to misconduct proceedings against the offending employees.

Government agencies are advised to continuously monitor their social media platforms to remove any objectionable content. All federal secretaries, additional secretaries, department heads, and chief secretaries have been tasked with ensuring compliance with the guidelines.

The memorandum clarified that the aim is not to impose restrictions on the positive use of social media.