ISLAMABAD: The federal government has imposed a complete ban on the use of personal and private email accounts for official correspondence across all public sector institutions, including the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), citing serious concerns over data security and national security risks.
A formal circular has been issued in this regard, referring to earlier directives of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT). The notification instructs all government departments to immediately discontinue the use of non-official email services for any official communication.
According to the MoITT letter referenced in the circular, several government officers and departments were still using private email platforms such as Gmail, Yahoo, and Hotmail to exchange official documents and sensitive information.
The ministry warned that this practice poses a serious threat to national security, data confidentiality, and the integrity of official information. It further noted that the National Telecommunication and Information Technology Security Board (NTISB) has repeatedly cautioned against the use of private email servers, as they are not part of the government’s secure digital infrastructure and remain vulnerable to cyberattacks, data leaks, and unauthorised access.
The circular clearly states that all official correspondence—including formal documents, reports, and inter-departmental communications—must be conducted exclusively through registered government email addresses.
Administrative secretaries and heads of departments have been directed to ensure strict compliance with the new instructions and to promptly circulate the directive to all subordinate offices.
The government has also warned that any security breach arising from the use of unauthorised or private email platforms will be the personal responsibility of the concerned officer or institution, signalling zero tolerance for violations of the new policy.
