- Sheikh Aftab speaks of massive irregularities in Pakistan Post, PIA, CAA, CDA and CADD
- Senate body asks Pakistan Post to run computerised postal operations on its own instead of outsourcing
Minister of State for Cabinet Sheikh Aftab Ahmad has said that there have been massive irregularities in Pakistan Post, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) and warned these departments to improve their functioning or face serious action. He was briefing the Senate Standing Committee for Communication on Friday.
Chairman of the Committee Daud Khan Achakzai expressed his reservations over the computerisation project of Pakistan Post Office costing Rs340 million.
The chairman and the committee members said that instead of giving contract of the operation to a private company, Pakistan Post should recruit its own IT staff. The chairman sought full details of the project at the next meeting and warned that failure to do so would invite legal action against the postal authorities.
Pakistan Post additional director general told the meeting that Pakistan Post has started the computerisation and online functional operation at a cost of Rs 160 million. Under the project, 83 post offices have been computerised and linked online while all the post offices would be networked by September next. He said contract for the computerisation has been given to Telconet Services while Data Housing facilities have been obtained from PTCL at an annual cost of Rs 23.6 million.
Replying to members’ question, the additional DG said after completion of the project, services have also been contracted to Telconet.
Senator Kamil Ali Agha said that Post Office has no capability to run the computerisation operation while outsourcing the operation to a private company would be dangerous.
In this view, the committee stressed that Pakistan Post should run the operations on its own instead of giving to private company.
Achakzai said Pakistan Post has kept many things secret and not disclosed in the meeting. He said five posts for postal department were advertised in Balochistan and in their place eight persons were recruited illegally.