The Karachi police have suspended an officer for improper and irresponsible behavior after she posted a TikTok video on her social media account. This is not the first time the use of social media by law enforcement has come under scrutiny, and it likely won’t be the last. With social media platforms gaining immense popularity in Pakistan, many individuals use them not only to express their identity and personality but also to seek fame and recognition.

This issue will increasingly challenge organizations like the police, as well as many other institutions that will be hiring from the newer generations in the future. The criticism by the police administration in this case is justified. It is reasonable to expect that police officers should focus on their duties of protection rather than on creating well-crafted videos for a social media audience.

Moreover, this is not an isolated incident. Previously, Lahore police invited a TikTok star who maintained a gangster persona on his social media accounts to attend a police academy ceremony—a move that was heavily criticized and led to disciplinary action. The problem is multifaceted. In the case of the Karachi officer, the main concern was that she revealed her team’s location to a social media audience, which could potentially be exploited for nefarious purposes.

As such, there should be a general ban on the use of social media among government professional services. This does not imply that officers are derelict in their duties merely by using these platforms; they are free to do so in their private time. However, the issue lies in the conflict between professionalism and self-aggrandizement—the tension between focusing on one’s duty and focusing on the appearance of duty.