ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has taken serious note of social media usage by officials during the ongoing digital census in the country and asked provincial governments for issuing directions to the census field staff to refrain from such activities and take strict action under the rules against those who are unlawfully engaged in uploading unauthentic and misleading contents.

“Some TikTokers intentionally and even some census enumerators are involved in uploading contents on social media platforms which are causing unnecessary embarrassment for the census authorities both at provincial and federal level”, noted a letter of the bureau.

The bureau conveyed its concerns through the letter addressed to all provincial census commissioner, local government departments, chief commissioner Islamabad, all census district officers and all officers and officials of the government departments involved in census and requested for issuance of necessary directions on the matter.

The letter a copy of which is available with Business Recorder noted that the government servants are not allowed to indulge in unauthorised disclosure of the official information or sharing of the official documents they come across during the course of performing their duties, or to participate in furthering of any information especially pertaining to government matters that, prima facie, appears to be unauthentic and misleading.

However, despite the clear instructions and the guiding legal framework on the subject, it has been observed that some officials engaged in the census duties often indulge in actions or behaviour that does not conform to the required standards of official conduct.

It further noted that some TikTokers intentionally and even some census enumerators are involved in uploading contents on social media platforms which are causing unnecessary embarrassment for the Census Authorities both at provincial and federal level.

Since it is the duty of provincial governments to conduct and monitor the census field operations through their staff, considering sensitivity of the matter, it is therefore requested to issue necessary directions on the matter to the census field staff to refrain from such activities and take strict action under the rules against those who are unlawfully engaged in uploading unauthentic and misleading media contents regarding the digital census.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023