Caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso would vacate the PM’s House today (Thursday) morning at 11am and he would be shifting to Balochistan House to facilitate renovation for the next prime minister.
This disclosure was made by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Arif Nizami on Wednesday during a press conference held at the Ministry of Postal Services.
“Practically, the Prime Minister’s House would be vacated tomorrow morning as the prime minister would be shifting to Balochistan House at 1100 hours. Under the constitution, the transfer of power would complete by June 5, while the process had already begun. Briefings have already been started for the next prime minister and his team on important subjects including budget-making and energy issues,” the information minister said.
Nizami said the caretakers had only one task – to hold the elections in a transparent manner and they had done their job.
To a question about reports of violation of the Election Commission’s ban on transfers and postings, Nizami, who was flanked by Postal Services Director General Ghulam Panjtan Rizvi, said the transfers and postings were only made which were mandatory in nature as those were a consequence of a chain reaction.
Nizami said the Ministry of Postal Services had facilitated the process of holding free and fair elections and it had printed 20 million ballot papers to facilitate timely elections.
The minister said during his stint as caretaker minister, he had made utmost effort to remain impartial and he was indebted to the journalist community for the cooperation extended to him as minister for information and broadcasting.
“The Ministry of Postal Services also issued a stamp on the eve of general elections the way the stamps were issued about the Pakistan Movement leaders and martyrs of the armed forces,” said the minister.
He added that though the Postal Services Department was facing closures across the globe, in Pakistan, the department had adjusted itself with modern trends.
The minister said the postal department had also won bronze medal in competition of around 192 states which was an achievement by all means.
Briefing the media, Postal Services DG Ghulam Panjtan Rizvi said the postal services department had brought innovation in its services.
“The postal services department has introduced electronic money order service which could be used for delivery of up to Rs 100,000 for minimal charges of Rs 600,” he said.
“We have received revenue of Rs 3.1 million through this service alone,” he said, adding that the ministry had also launched money order service for passengers at all airports where the passengers may receive upto Rs 50,000 money order to meet any emergency cash requirements.
Calling for formation of a regulatory authority to regulate the private courier service companies, Rizvi said though some under-developed countries, including Afghanistan, had enacted laws, Pakistan had yet to legislate in this regard.
He said there was no bar for the private courier companies on fixing prices for postal services while the postal services department had not been allowed to raise prices since year 2009.
