By Badr ul Arifeen

Definition
2. Introduction.
3. Tools for Drafting.
4. Principles of Drafting.
5. The Six Interrogatives relating
to drafting.
6. Main Points of Drafting.
7. Three Fundamentals of Drafting.
8. Requirement of D.F.A.
9. Ensuring Correctness.
10. Conclusion.
DEFINITION

A draft is an outline in the form of rough notes

of something to be done or made, e.g. a letter, Office
Memorandum, D.O etc. In the official circles a draft
means a rough copy of a communication to be issued
from an office. The process of preparing such a draft
is called drafting.
INTRODUCTION
As per conventional or official practice
in vogue, we can say that on cases where
communications are to be issued, the officer
concerned should submit, together with his
note, draft for the approval to the higher
officer who has to settle the matter finally. A
higher officer, if he so wishes, may prepare a
draft himself and authorize its issue or put it
up to the next higher officer for approval, as
the case may be.
2. The process of drafting may be said to begin with
the receipt of drafting instructions and end with
completion of an agreed draft. However, the drafting
process needs to be seen in a wider context if it is to be
understand fully. The following are five stages of
drafting process. At each stage of the process, the
concept is developed and refined:

1. Understanding
2. Analysis
3. Design
4. Composition
5. Scrutiny
1. UNDERSTNDING
The first task for the officer is to
understand what is the draft about.

2 ANALYSIS
The analysis in relation to:
a. existing policies, rules and regulations.
b. practicability (Practical aspects of the
draft communication).
3. DESIGN (PLANNING)
After gaining an understanding of the proposals and
assessing their implications in relation to existing policies
etc., the officer reaches the design or planning stage of
drafting.
4. COMPOSITION
The composition is usually described as
polishing the draft. (Process of Development).
5. SCRUTINY (FINALIZATION)

The stage of scrutiny includes much

revisionary work, carried out both by the
officer himself and those who instruct him.
At this stage the officer must discipline to
take a critical gaze at his finished draft.

First, he should see its logical sequence,

Secondly, he must get down to tedious
matters of detail and check cross
references, all other references, the use of
definitions, consistency of language
(“language is a system of vocal or linguistic
symbols used in a particular society as a
means of communication”), spelling and
punctuation.
TOOLS FOR DRAFTING

a. Constitution of the Islamic

Republic of Pakistan.

b. All relevant laws.

c. The Rules of Business, 1973.

d. The Secretariat Instructions, 1994

e. A book relating to Interpretation of

Statutes.

f. Knowledge of Case Law on the relevant

topic.
g. A good English to English
Dictionary.

h. A Dictionary relating to Latin

Terms or about foreign words.

i. A Dictionary of Legal Terms and

Phrases.
j. A good Book on English Grammar.

k. A good Book on use of English

Prepositions and Phrases.
PRINCIPLES OF DRAFTING

Before going to start drafting, the following

principles should be strictly observed by an officer who
is drafting:-

a) That he should move in logical progression

and order from Understanding to Analysis to
Design to Composition and to Scrutiny or
Finalization.

b) He should fully understand the instructions

and their background before beginning.
c) He should revise his draft till
maximum perfection of the draft and to
his satisfaction.

d) He should also explain about

drafting instructions to his officer,
if so desired by him.

e) He should state clearly and

fully the principle objects of the draft.
f) His draft should refer to all known implications and
difficulties whether legal, social or administrative.

g) He should also study all relevant rules and

regulations etc.

h) He should always consult to others in the same

field before finalizing his draft.
THE SIX INTEROGATIVE

Before beginning to draft a

communication, it is advisable to bear in mind six
basic interrogatives, namely, what, where, when, who
why and how. These interrogatives can be put into
following concrete questions:-

a) What is the type of Communication?

b) Where has it come from?
c) When it was written?
d) Who has sent it?
e) Why it has been sent?
f) How should it be dealt with?
2. These questions enable the officer to determine:-

a) The purpose of sending a

communication and form of its reply;

b) The identity and status of the

correspondence - whether it is a
private person or a commercial or industrial
concern, or an autonomous or a semi-autonomous
organization or a Government office, a Division, an
Attached Department or a subordinate office;
 c) The approximate time
required for a reply;

d) Who is responsible to send a

final reply;

e) The purpose and subject

matter of the communication
and finally;

f) The process, methods and

procedures to be adopted for its
disposal.
MAIN POINTS OF DRAFTING
While preparing a draft, the following points
should be kept in view:-

(1) A draft should be written, preferably typed

in double space on both sides of the paper. A
sufficiently wide margin should be left for
corrections and additions.

(2) All drafts should bear the relevant file

number and the subject. The reference
number of the addressee’s letter, if
available.
(3) When two or more letters, notifications
etc., are to issue under the same file
number, on the same date, to the
same addressee, a serial number
should always be given in addition
to the file number to avoid confusion.

(4) A draft should show clearly

the enclosures which are to accompany
the fair copy.

(5) The number of enclosures should also

be indicated at the end of the draft on
the left hand corner or the page.
(6) The officer over whose signature the
communication is, to be issued should initial
and date the draft in token of his
approval. His designation should
invariably be indicated on the draft.

(7) The appropriate priority marking i.e.

“Residence” “Immediate” or “Priority”
should be indicated on the draft. If any papers
are to be dispatched by special messenger or
issued under registered post or under postal
certificate, as Express delivery or by Air
Mail, necessary instructions should be given
on the draft for the of guidance the
dispatcher.
THREE FUNDAMENTALS OF
DRAFTING

A. Writing of a communication means

talking across distance by means of
written words. First the writer should
realize that there is some one at the
other end, who will receive the
communication, read it, and be
pleased, interested, bored, disgusted,
worried or annoyed by its contents.
B. One should write after careful thinking
over the subject matters. Otherwise, a rambling
and muddled communication will be the
result. Clear thought is therefore
essential for clear expression.

C. Long and complex communication not

only waste the time of the reader but also
annoy him. A straight - forward letter
written in simple language has the best
chance of securing full attention and action.
REQUIREMENT OF D.F.A.
The following are some conventional / official
requirements which should also be kept in mind by the
officer while preparing a D.F.A.

1. D. F. A. should be typed in double space.

2. D.F.A. should bear the relevant file number.
3. A serial number should be given (in case of more
than one D.F.A.).
4. A D.F.A. should indicate the enclosures, if any.
5. Appropriate priority marking should be
indicated.
6. D.F.A. should be flagged.
ENSURING CORRECTNESS

1) Read the matter carefully.

2) Know and collect the facts.

3) Review the relevant files/ documents etc.

4) Under-line important facts.

5) Check every statement.

6) No possible question should remain
un-answered.
7) Ensure that the language is correct.
8) It should properly be referenced and
lagged.
9) The file should be in good condition.
10) Read before signing.
Action after dispatch
 The Assistant should place the office copy on the
file in chronological order and give it a page
number.
 If reply to the communication is awaited or further
action is to be resumed at a later date, the Assistant
should mark the file Reminder or Suspense as the
case may be ,and note the date on which the file is
to be resubmitted.
Action after dispatch
 If the communication should constitute final disposal
and no other action has to taken on the file, is should
be marked RECORD.
 The Assistant should maintain a record of suspense
cases on an ordinary calendar diary. He should enter
date wise .
 Cases placed in suspense with instruction for
resubmission on a particular date.
Action after dispatch
 Cases on which reminders are to be issued on specified
date and cases which have beeb referred unofficially
to other Ministries and return is which is awaited.
 Assistant should consult this Diary every morning and
should submit to the officer for disposal of all files to
be put up to him on that date


Action after dispatch
 The officer should check the diary periodically to
ensure that the prescribed procedure is being observed
by the Assistant.
 SECURITY DON’T

1. Don’t talk about your work either at home or in

office
l

1. Don’t leave your room with secret papers on

your desk. Lock them up before leaving.

2. Don’t sign receipts for secret papers without a

thorough check. Look through the files and count the
papers.

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4. Don’t keep drafts, rough notes, spare copies and other
odd papers which are no longer needed in files having security
classification.
5. Don’t forget to see that secret paper is diarised
immediately on receipt and before dispatch.
6. Don’t talk of secret matters on the telephone. Telephones
are not safe.
7. Don’t send secret papers loose by hand.
8. Don’t clog the machine by over grading. It reduces the
importance of classified matter encourages neglect of
security rules and thus endangers the whole system of a
security.
9. Remember that SECURITY IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

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 
To cut the long story short, drafting is a practical
art. Its practice needs long apprenticeship.

Drafting of communication has to be done

within certain limitations and restrictions,
imposed by the requirements of the case and legal
nature of the document. Every comma, semicolon
and full stop in a document is significant and
important, therefore, a communication has to be
phrased and drawn up in positive, definite, clear
and elaborate language to lessen the possibility and
chance of misconstruction.