PESHAWAR (National Times) A ban has been imposed on the use of social media for police officers and personnel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Central Police Office has issued a directive to Regional Police Officers (RPOs) and District Police Officers (DPOs), stating that police officers and personnel were prohibited from using social media applications.

The directive restricted all ranks of officers and personnel from using platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and YouTube.

The letter emphasised strict adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), prohibiting the uploading of uniformed photos, weapons, police badges, or other evidence on personal social media accounts.

It also noted that many police personnel have been found violating SOPs, and RPOs and DPOs have been instructed to take departmental action against such violations.

The Central Police Office highlighted that social media use undermined the department’s reputation and posed risks to the safety of other police personnel.