Federal Government Notification: Types, the Gazette & How to Verify One
Every week, Pakistan’s federal government issues dozens of notifications — SROs, office memoranda, appointment orders, policy approvals. This guide maps the main types, explains the Gazette of Pakistan’s role as the official record, and shows you how to verify any federal government notification in minutes.
Quick answer: Federal government notifications are formal orders issued by ministries, divisions and the Cabinet Division. The main types: cabinet notifications, SROs (regulatory/tax changes), office memoranda (internal instructions), and Gazette notifications (the published official record). Verify any notification on the issuing authority’s website or in the Gazette of Pakistan — never trust forwards alone.
In this guide
The Four Main Types
Cabinet notifications — issued by the Cabinet Division to formalise federal cabinet decisions: appointments to key posts, approved policies, administrative restructurings. SROs (Statutory Regulatory Orders) — issued by the competent ministry/division under statutory powers; the Finance Division’s SROs on customs duties and taxes move markets, which is why businesses track them obsessively. Office memoranda (O.M.s) — the Establishment Division’s and others’ vehicle for service matters: pay, allowances, promotions, postings. General notifications — everything else formal: committee constitutions, holiday declarations, delegation of powers. For the cabinet-specific variant, see cabinet notifications; for the general picture, govt of Pakistan notifications.
The Gazette of Pakistan
The Gazette of Pakistan, printed by the Printing Corporation of Pakistan, is the official journal of record. A notification attains its full formal standing when published there — lawyers cite Gazette numbers, courts rely on them, and departments treat Gazette publication as the definitive text. The Gazette is issued in parts (Part I for notifications, Part II for statutes, and so on), and ministries routinely reference the Gazette number when communicating a decision.
Verification in 3 Steps
1. Check the issuing authority’s website. Every ministry and division publishes its notifications — finance.gov.pk, establishment.gov.pk, cabinet.gov.pk. 2. Check the Gazette. If it’s real and important, it’s in the Gazette. 3. Check the number and date. A genuine notification carries a file/notification number, a date, and a named signatory with their designation — cross-check all three. Anything missing these, or present only as a social-media image, deserves scepticism. Our federal cabinet guide shows how decisions flow into notifications.
Notifications People Search for Most
The perennially searched: pay-scale and allowance notifications (Establishment/Finance Divisions); public-holiday notifications (Cabinet Division); posting/transfer notifications; SROs on taxes and duties (FBR/Finance); and cabinet decision notifications. Each lives with its issuing authority — search the authority’s site first, not social media.
Where is the Gazette of Pakistan published?
By the Printing Corporation of Pakistan, and referenced across ministry websites. Gazette numbers are the standard citation for any official notification.
What does “SRO” stand for?
Statutory Regulatory Order — a notification issued by a ministry or division under powers conferred by statute, most famously for tax and customs changes.
Can a notification be withdrawn?
Yes — through a subsequent notification or corrigendum. Always check for the latest corrigendum before relying on an older notification.
