Pakistan completed 60 years of independence in 2007 with various developments, including nuclear technology, but Pakistan postal system in this long travel remained backward without any progress on world standard due to the unwilling attitude, ignorance, negligence and mismanagement of postal officials in general and PMG-Sindh circle in particular.
The methodical infrastructure of Pakistan Post anciently designed by British rulers during pre-partition days, remained at status quo without much progress. Its deteriorating services gave birth to several courier services in Pakistan, leaving Pakistan Post far behind in customer services, quality, punctuality and reliability. But Pakistan Post did not wake up and its out-dated system with careless customer services, diverted public toward courier companies, better in service.
Most of general post offices (GPOs), post offices, and sub-post offices resemble more like a prison or zoo than post office, by still preserving the ancient orthodox idea of fixing heavy iron bars at customer handling counters. It looks as if public has come either to meet jailed people or watch zoological attractions (post office staffs) behind iron bars.
Comparatively, the public dealing offices of TCS/DHL/Fedex, airlines, travel agents, utility companies and above all the banks which deal in more cash business than post offices; provide well decorated desks in a presentable manner and atmosphere where public feel at ease.
Under modern IT advanced age, except Pakistan Post, all government and private sector offices dealing in public service, have acquired computers for quick disposal of work besides updated maintenance and retrieval of old record at a glance.
But Pakistan Post still stands 60 years back in using an out-dated system of carbonised manual receipts, adhesive stamps instead of machinery stamping, ancient manual weighing scales instead of electronic scales, etc-etc at most of POs in Pakistan.
For quick delivery of incoming mails, while courier services are providing motorcycles and vans to their staffs, Pakistan Post has not yet realised this necessity of time and is still using its limited strength of low paid postmen on ancient style of going on foot or use their own cycles to travel long distances for delivery of huge quantity of mail in populated areas.
While the population is rapidly growing the number of residents is equally increasing in all postal areas. But the strength of postmen evaluated in proportion of old consensus of population is still continuing for delivery of mail that increased manifolds. It puts extra physical strain on postmen and delays the delivery work.
In the wake of security hazards, various offices dealing in cash have deployed armed security guards to ensure secured cash-dealings but Pakistan Post has not deemed it necessary, risking both the customers and staff at post offices. There are even no sweepers or peons to clean and maintain hygienic environment at the public dealing areas within the buildings of various GPOs and POs.
While all courier companies function even on Sundays and holidays with their skeleton staff at customer service offices; all GPOs and POs completely close down ignoring public services. There is no night postal service except at QIAP Karachi.
Most of departmental POs do not operate in evening shift and close at 1400 hrs.
In general, several windows at POs are displayed with signs of stamps, registered mail, parcel, money order, UMS, utility bills, etc. but in actual practice only 1-2 staff entertain public at one window only leaving the rest counters unmanned.
Utility bills are not accepted at several POs in violation of standing order of Supreme Court of Pakistan. In order to improve the services of Pakistan Post, its higher management should replace all out-dated manual equipments by modern IT system, and take corrective actions to improve the working attitude of postal officials.
Federal Ministry of Communications is requested to take note of the matter and advise Director General, Pakistan Post and PMG-Sindh circle to personally inspect the post offices in Karachi.