LAHORE: The Punjab government has issued new SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) to “regulate” flow of information and contain “distortion” concerning sensitive and important meetings of its various tiers.

The SOPs cover secretariat, divisional (also involving police) and routine meetings, media management and video conference conservation security. They are more or less identical, stressing utmost secrecy, keeping media away and making “bugging or electronic interceptions impossible”.

The SOPs for secretariat (central) level meetings and conferences suggest entry/exit only through one door. In case of law and order meetings, a section officer of the home department is to regulate entry/attendance. In case of sensitive meetings on other subjects, a BS-17 section officer from the department concerned is to regulate entry/attendance.

Additional or supporting staff and PAs are disallowed attendance. Refreshments are to be placed at a corner on a self-service mode to bar entry of waiters.

In case of video conferences, dedicated staff from the Punjab Information Board is to wait in the side room after ensuring that the conference set-up is made functional at its beginning.

Regular sweeping of the committee room by the Special Branch to detect any bugging device is required.

Carrying of mobile phones/electronic devices in the committee or conference room is strictly disallowed. Arrangements for holding mobile phones just outside the committee room are to be ensured.

Regulated media coverage is to be allowed on a need-to-know basis.

The secretary information is to ensure that “un-required” media personnel are not gathered outside the committee or conference room where sensitive meetings are taking place.

The PITB has been made responsible to ensure security of video conference conversation at the server level, and avert en route intrusion/recording/interception of conversation. Recording of video conferences on sensitive issues is to be made only if desired by the department concerned.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2014