FORMS OF

COMMUNICATIONS IN THE
GOVERNMENT OF
PAKISTAN
By
Dr Faisal Mansoor
Epidemiologist
PMRC
 SECRETARIAT INSTRUCTIONS
2004
• Being instructions issued in pursuance of
Rule5(15) of the Rules of Business 1973 for
the disposal of business in the Federal
Secretariat.
 Secretariat Instructions contain,
1. Important procedural details for disposal of
business in Federal Secretariat
2. Code of conduct, in which the manner Srs, or
Jrs. are to be dealt with in the office. The
instructions advise us to be polite and
impersonal
3. The manner in which the problems of employees
be brought to the notice of competent
authorities.
 Communication
• Communication is a process of transmitting
and or receiving a verbal or non verbal
message. It becomes information if
understood by the recipient.
• Communication in Government sector can
be vertical or horizontal
 Communication
1. Complete
2. Consciousness
3. Considerate
4. Clear
5. Courteous
6. Correct
7. Concrete
 Forms of Written Communication
1. Letter
2. Memorandum
3. Office Memorandum
4. Demi-official letter
5. UO. Note
6. Endorsement
7. Notification
8. Office order
9. Etc. (Press communiqué,/Note,
Resolution etc.
 Letter
• An official letter is used for all formal
sanctions and communications to Provincial
Governments, public bodies and
individuals.
• Can be used to communicate formal
sanctions to attached/subordinate offices,
but shall not be used for correspondence
between different divisions of GOP.
 Letter
Should be composed of,
1. Letter head bearing the words GOP& the name
of the division
2. Number and Date
3. Name (with titles) and designation of the sender
4. Designation and address of the addressee
5. Subject
6. Salutation
7. Main text
8. Subscription
9. Signature and designation of the sender with his
telephone number
 1. Letter
No: ________________
Health Services Academy
Ministry of Health

Islamabad, the 16th August 2002.

From:
Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed Naru,
Course Coordinator,

To
The Medical Superintendent,
Federal Govt. Services Hospital,
ISLAMABAD.

Subject: HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT COURSE FOR MPH 2002

PARTICIPANTS

Sir,

I am directed to refer to your lettere No. __________ dated

__________ on the subject mentioned above and to say that
_______________________________________

Yours faithfully,

(I. A. Naru)
Course Coordinator

Note: For private / non-government entities: the salutation should be “Dear Sir /
Madam” and opening line will be “I have the honour to refer
______________ “ and subscription will be “yours faithfully / yours
truly”.
Letters are written on letter pads not bearing crest.
 Letter
1. Addressed to the official authorities
should begin with the salutation “Sir” and
end with “your obedient servant”
2. To non official groups of people should
begin with Dear Sir and end with “Yours
Truly”
3. Official letters not purporting to issue
under directions from the Gov. should
begin with words “I have the honour to”
and not “I am directed to”
 Office Memorandum
• For correspondence between various
Divisions
• For conveying information not amounting
to an order of Government to Attached/
Subordinate departments
 Office Memorandum
• It should be written in third person
• Should bear no Salutation or Subscription
• Signature and Designation of the sender at the
bottom
• The name of the Addressee , his designation and
the Division or attached department should appear
at the bottom of the left hand corner of the page
• The OM purporting to issue under directions
should begin with the words “The undersigned is
directed to..”
 No: ________________
Health Services Academy
Ministry of Health

Islamabad, the 16th August 2002.

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT COURSE FOR MPH 2002

PARTICIPANTS

The undersigned is directed to refer to Health Division O.M.

No. __________ dated __________ on the subject mentioned above
and to say that _____________________

(I. A. Naru)
Course Coordinator

Health Division
(Mr. Khalid Khan)
Deputy Secretary (per-II),
Govt. of Pakistan,
ISLAMABAD.
 Memorandum
• For correspondence between Division, and
attached department and their subordinate
offices.
• For replying to petitions, applications for
appointments, explanation letters, offer of
appointment etc.
 Memorandum
• It should be written in third person
• Should bear no Salutation or Subscription
• Signature and Designation of the sender at the
bottom
• The name of the Addressee , his designation and
the Division or attached department should appear
at the bottom of the left hand corner of the page
• The Memo should begin with the words, “
Reference application/letter Number ----- dated---
from---”
 Demi Official Letter
• This is used when personal attention of the
individual addressed is required
• It should be addressed to an officer by Name
• It should be written in the first person singular
• It begins with My Dear( if the status is same or
1step higher) or Dear Mr. (if status is 2 or > steps
higher)
• It ends with Yours sincerely
 Demi Official Letter
• The name and designation of the sender
with titles should also be typed under the
crest on the first page. The telephone should
invariably be indicated.
• No CCs
Demi-official Letter

Crest

From:
Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed Naru, D.O.No:_______________
Course Coordinator, Health Services Academy,
Tele No. 9221321 Ministry of Health,

Islamabad, the 16th August 2002.

Dear Dr. Javed Chaudhry,

________________________________________________________
_______

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

A. Naru)
Dr. M. Javed Chaudhry,
Medical Superintendent,
Federal Govt. Services Hospital,
ISLAMABAD.
Note: When addressing an equal or one step higher officer,
the salutation will be “My dear Mr. XYZ” and in the end it would
be “with regards”.
 Notification
• This form should be used for notifying in
the gazette of Pakistan ordinances rules and
orders.
• Appointments, leaves, transfer orders of
gazette staff and other matters that require
notification in the gazette.
Notification

TO BE PUBLISHED IN PART-I OF THE NEXT

ISSUE OF THE WEEKLY GAZETTE OF PAKISTAN

Government of Pakistan
Health Division
**********

Islamabad, the 16th August 2002.

NOTIFICATION

No: ___________,
_________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________
___________

(Mohammad Tariq)
Section Officer (per-I)
Tele: 22222222

To

The Manager,
Printing Corporation of Pakistan Press,
KARACHI.

Copy to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

(Mohammad Tariq)
Section Officer (per-I)
 Resolution
This form should be used for making public
announcements in the Gazette of Pakistan
Decisions,
• On important matters of Committees,
commissions of enquiry, and results of
important reports.
 Office Order
• This form is used for conveying instructions
to be followed in office and notifying
appointments promotion leave etc of the
non gazette staff
 Office order

Government of Pakistan
Ministry of Health
Health Division

No: ________________ Islamabad, the 16th August

2002.

OFFICE ORDER NO. XYZ

___________________________________________________________
____

________________________________________________________________
___________

((Mohammad Tariq)
Section Officer (per-I)

Copy to:
1.
2.
3.
4. Official concerned.
5. Personal file.

(Mohammad Tariq)
Section Officer (per-
 Endorsement
• This form is used when a copy of the
communication is to be forwarded to others
in addition to the original addressee for
information, guidance, necessary action
• ( We send release orders/sanctions to the
DFA for “endorsement”, actually he
“verifies” it)
 Un Official Note
• An unofficial (UO) should be made by sending a
note on the file itself.
• It is a self contained note that is often used for
consultation between Divisions, divisions and
attached departments where so authorized. ( Also
used for summary for President, PM)
• No salutation, subscription all written in third
form. UO number is written at the bottom of the
note.
• Signing a letter as “for” is not allowed
under law
• I am directed does not mean that the file has
been approved by higher authority. It only
means I being Government servant is
conveying Government directions. You still
need to add this issues with the approval of
------
 PRINCIPALS OF Communication

Use active forms of verbs as far as possible

Passive form: The matter was discussed by us in the meeting and it

was decided that an action should be taken immediately.

Active form: We discussed the matter in a meeting and decided to

act at once.
 Letter writing Skills
Principals of simple letter writing
• Keep sentences short.
• Prefer the simple to complex
• Plain and simple language (short words)
• Brief sentences
• Expressions should be precise and brief
 SIMPLE LETTER WRITING
Prefer familiar words rather than far-fetched
Examples:
Acquaint Inform or tell
Ameliorate Better or improve
Anticipate Expect
Blueprint Plan
Commence Begin
Conducive Favorable
Deem Think
Evacuate Remove
Eventuate Happen or occur
Purchase Buy
Repercussions Effects
Reside Live
Scarcity Shortage
Termination End
 SIMPLE LETTER WRITING:
Phraseology
• Choose proper words
“Big men use little words; little men use big words”!!!!!
• Use specific terminology rather than abstract
words
• Use single words rather than combinations
• The short words are better than the long ones
• The English word instead of a word foreign-to-
English.
• Avoid repeating similar phrases or words
 PRINCIPALS OF LETTER WRITING

Avoid un-necessary adjectives and adverbs

Example:
Other expression: Amir jumped and entered into the room
quickly
Another expression: Amir came into the room with a quick jump
suddenly
Direct expression: Amir jumped into the room
 PRINCIPALS OF LETTER WRITING
Accept responsibility and avoid hedging or
fearing from responsibility
Examples of some hedging words and phrases are:
- it appears
– it seems
– usually
– as a usual case
– generally
– in general
– as a rule
– in most cases
– in many instances
– it seems to indicate
– commonly
 PRINCIPALS OF LETTER WRITING

Accept responsibility
Example:
“It seems that water level situation in the Simli dam is extremely
serious when compared to the usual reports of the past”.

“The water levels at Simli Dam are extremely low”.

(The better version!)