The Punjab government has directed young officers in civil service to stop expressing personal opinions and sharing on-duty images on social media. The directive came as a response to a rise in a trend where young officers were excessively using social media especially X (formerly Twitter), in a personal capacity. This practice violates the official code of conduct, and the government had to intervene to ensure the code is not broken.
The trend gained root with new officers showing off their perks and sharing on-ground work and visits on different social media platforms. It also converged with expressing personal opinions on different issues. Boasting off new vehicles invited the fury of people, as the country is going through an immense economic strain and such a display only inculcates a sense of deprivation and inequality among people.
Being in civil service is a serious responsibility, and the use of social media in a casual manner contrastswith the sacred duty of public service that the officers are bestowed with. Boasting off bounties suggests a lack of seriousness and addsto eroding people’s trust in government and its chief representative – the civil bureaucracy. Such a display overshadows the prime responsibility, where personal gains seep in to take the place.
The government’s directive was a much-needed check on young officers. They bear the image of the government and their country much more than any normal citizen would. Ideally, they should be a bridge that connects citizens with institutions. By putting up pictures of new vehicles, the opposite was happening. We are a country where grave inequalities exist. All efforts of public institutions must be concerted on bridging the divide and not expanding it further.
It is also a call for our government to put a check on the privileges that are granted in extravaganza. Cutting off excessive perks is the need of the hour. Civil service should not be a means to upgrade lifestyle but an essential part of the training must remain focused on apprising new officers of the responsibility that must be delivered in all honesty.