On February 10, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) instructed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to develop and circulate standard operating procedures (SOPs) aimed at regulating government officials’ social media activities. The directive was issued by a bench consisting of Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Mohammad Faheem Wali, who also ordered that a compliance report be submitted within 30 days.

The petition was filed by citizen Mohammad Mehtab and argued by Advocate Mohammad Hamdan. The petitioner challenged the alleged uploading of edited video clips of female students by Deputy Commissioner Swabi from his TikTok account following a sports gala at the university. It was contended that the videos were shared on February 21, 2025, after being edited and accompanied by songs, and that the footage had been uploaded without the consent of the students. The petitioner argued that such actions were contrary to social norms and infringed on privacy.

During court proceedings, the Performance Management and Reforms Unit (PMRU) of the chief secretary’s office argued that while social media is employed by district administrations for public awareness, the dissemination of irrelevant or personal content is not aligned with public interest. It was further highlighted that under existing regulations, namely the KP Government Servants (Conduct) Rules of 1987, government servants are prohibited from using social media for discussing or sharing governmental business without appropriate approvals.

The court was informed that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had already begun the process of securing approvals and drafting the necessary SOPs to enforce appropriate use of social media among government officials. The petitioner’s counsel, Mohammad Hamdan, emphasised the need for stringent measures to prevent misuse of social media platforms by officials, specifically referencing the incident involving the deputy commissioner and the unauthorised sharing of videos on TikTok.

The PHC’s order necessitates the provincial government to finalise the SOPs concerning social media use within the stipulated timeframe and to ensure that no government officer uses social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube for personal promotion or in a manner that violates the privacy of individuals

The court’s intervention underscores the growing concern over the misuse of social media by government officials and the need for clear guidelines to safeguard the privacy and dignity of citizens, particularly in the digital realm.