ISLAMABAD: The government is moving to further regulate the use of social media and media platforms by public servants. Officials of the Establishment Division briefed the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Monday, August 31, 2026, saying that new rules have been formulated regarding government employees’ use of social media and the media, while a monitoring cell is also being established.
According to officials, under the proposed framework, government employees will not be allowed to use social media primarily for self-promotion or personal publicity in connection with their official positions.
During the committee meeting, Chairman Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan expressed concern over the growing social media activity of government officers, remarking that “all officers are holding their own courts on social media.”
The Establishment Division also briefed the committee about new rules concerning foreign citizenship held by government employees. Officials said employees had been given 30 days to declare any foreign citizenship. Those who failed to make the required declaration are being contacted, and disciplinary action for misconduct could follow if they fail to respond.
Officials further said that individuals born abroad would also be required to disclose this information at the time of recruitment. Employees who acquired foreign citizenship while serving abroad would also be dealt with under the relevant rules.
The move to establish a monitoring cell comes against the backdrop of existing government conduct rules governing officials’ interaction with the media and social media. The Establishment Division has previously issued instructions restricting unauthorized disclosure of official information, participation in media activities without permission and online conduct that could conflict with official responsibilities or applicable laws.
The latest development, however, raises an important question: where should the line be drawn between a government employee’s personal freedom of expression and his or her official responsibilities?
There is a strong argument for preventing officials from leaking confidential information, misrepresenting government policy or using their official positions for personal publicity. At the same time, the rules need to be clear and consistently enforced so that legitimate personal expression is not unnecessarily treated as misconduct.
The real test will therefore be the implementation of these rules.
Will the new monitoring system simply control government employees’ social media activity, or will it create a transparent framework that protects official confidentiality while respecting legitimate individual expression?
For now, the government’s message appears clear: being a public servant comes with responsibilities that extend to the digital world as well.
