Pakistan Post has launched ‘EMS Plus’ a parcel export service which allows small scale traders to export their consignments within 72 hours.
Speaking at the launch ceremony on Saturday, Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed said that effective steps are being taken to steer the Pakistan Post office out of deficit and making it a profitable entity.
The communications minister reiterated that such a measure had been taken to ensure “ease of doing business for our small businessmen as well”.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Media Affairs Iftikhar Durrani, Secretary Postal Services Pir Baksh Khan Jamali and Director General of Pakistan Post Naseer Ahmed Khan were also present on the occasion.
Saeed said that under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and the prime minister’s vision, measures are being taken to turn state institutions that are incurring losses into profitable entities. Moreover, he added, EMS plus is just one of those measures.
The service has been launched as a pilot project in Faisalabad, Sialkot and Lahore, under which parcels weighing up to 30kg can be sent to six countries, namely Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Japan, United Kingdom, Thailand and Australia. Saeed said that the project was intended to be global, however, there were some technical difficulties that disallowed that.
In the second phase which is likely to launch next month, Saeed said, the project will be stretched to include more countries.
Newspapers would receive advertisements for hiring the services of courier companies in respective countries, he added. He added that counters would be set up at different airports with staff to dispose of the consignments on time.
Claiming that EMS Plus will cost “175% less than private firms”, Saeed requested the business community to prefer it over other options.
He concluded with his plans to offer online shopping on the national post carrier’s website as multiple businesses have shown interest in selling their brands through it.