In a directive, Chief Minister Jam Kamal said the decision to bar the civil servants from using social media was taken to contain propaganda disseminated through online platforms. He also ordered the civil servants to block such web pages on their respective social media and WhatsApp accounts.
The government has given three days to its subordinate departments to implement the order, saying a failure to comply with the directives would result in strict disciplinary action under the Balochistan Employee Efficiency and Discipline Act 2011.
Ironically, CM Jam kamal is known for the excessive use of social media, and also known as 'Whatsapp CM'. In one of his interviews, he proudly said that as the CM, he was the admin of seventy WhatsApp groups.
However, the current directive stands in contrast to the Right to Information Bill recently passed by the Balochistan Assembly and Article 15 of the constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom of expression to all citizens.
Speaking on condition on anonymity, a government employee said that the directive was an attack on the fundamental rights of 0.3 million employees and interference in their private lives.
Another employee said that through this notification government was planning to treat government employees as a personal servant.