“Salaries and payments constitute 79% of the Post expenditure while it is left with only 18% for operational expenses,” he said. He also blamed the deficit on technology by saying that the private sector was embracing new technology which was causing a reduction in revenues. PHOTO: FILE
Similarly, there are about 116 cases of theft and robbery, which have been reported during the last two years in the post offices across the country that resulted in the loss of Rs209 million with only Rs62 million recovered.
The FIA is investigating 88 cases of embezzlement of Rs270million carried out in eight offices of Post Master General (PMG) while the NAB is probing 26 cases of losses amounting to Rs227 million in five PMGs.
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The details of these cases were shared in the National Assembly Standing Committee where lawmakers were told that recoveries were being made in the embezzlement cases with slow progress.
According to documents presented before the committee, the FIA is investigating 88 cases of which the highest number of cases have been registered in Lahore involving an embezzlement of Rs57million. The Office of Multan comes second where 29 cases of embezzlement of Rs12million are being probed.
The postal services officials said that so far Rs12 million have been recovered in cases investigated by NAB while Rs29 million have been recovered by FIA.
Islamabad Police official also shared details of the four cases of ‘dacoity’ where Rs4.6 million is involved and all cases are under investigation with no progress.
Member National Assembly Ayesha Syed expressed concern over the poor performance in recoveries and urged swift measures to recoup the stolen cash.
The members also asked about the reported privatisation of the Pakistan Postal Services and demanded a clear stance regarding rumours in circulation. Ministry of Postal Services Secretary Saqib Aziz assured the committee that there was no such plan on the cards and instead it was the plan approved by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, which includes mobile money order, creating a logistics company and re-branding Pakistan Post.
He said that all the employees would remain government workers and the plan did not include selling off properties or infrastructure to companies with which Pakistan Post works under public-private partnership.
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Another official said that the infrastructure of Postal services was spread in 67% of rural areas and there was no plan to shut down any office but to revamp and reorganise the service despite no apparent profit. He added that there are about 238 vehicles of the postal service, which were broken down. A request had been made to Ministry of Finance for their replacement but “to no avail.”
He said Rs7 billion were going against the pay and pension of its employees and that adversely impacted the service. “We have requested the government to take responsibility for these two elements but nobody is listening to us,” he added.
The committee expressed dissatisfaction over the briefing and formed a sub-committee where the Ministry of Postal Services would share the exact picture of the deal under the partnership.
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