A Chinese company has shown interest in investing $1 billion in "Pakistan Post Logistics Company" which would help Pakistan Post become a profitable entity, said officials on Tuesday.
Pakistan Post has embarked on a comprehensive reform agenda to become a profitable entity. These reforms include: (i) establishment of Mobile Money Transfer Solution; (ii) formation of Pakistan Post Logistics Company and; (iii) re-branding of Pakistan Post.
Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Communications, Director General Pakistan Post said that a Chinese company has shown interest to invest $1 billion in the logistic project, besides connecting it with China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). However, it will be carried out through public private partnership and open bidding process. Committee Chairman Daud Khan Achakzai said that that the reported company has also approached him and shown its interest for investment.
The committee was further informed that feasibility study for the Mobile Money Transfer Solution project has been completed in partnership with Infrastructure Project Development Facility (IPDF) and the request for proposal (RFP) has been approved by the steering committee.
The RFP was published in national newspapers on January 24, 2018 and it was also circulated to the companies which participated in the expression of interest (EoI) published earlier. Pre-bid investors' conference is scheduled for February 22, 2018.
The committee expressed its displeasure over insufficient staff at National Highway Authority offices in Balochistan and directed the NHA to appoint sufficient staff at lower and higher levels for efficient service delivery. The committee was given a detailed briefing on the overall breakup of staff deputed in Balochistan.
The committee also directed the NHA to repatriate the deputationists to their parent departments as per Supreme Court's decisions. It was informed that the NHA is working on preparing a detailed report in this regard which would also be shared with the committee. The committee members observed that many officials are posted in NHA on deputation due to nepotism, which is negatively affecting the performance of the Authority. It was further informed that 2,060 daily-wage/contract employees had been regularized in 2011 and 2013 where 79 were dismissed on fake degrees. The committee also expressed annoyance over appointment of non-technical staff against technical staffs.
The committee expressed its concern over the delayed services of postal service in Balochistan. The committee was briefed that shortage of staff and security situation have hampered the efficient service delivery; however, new recruitments are being made under Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package and 171 posts in postal service department would be filled to improve the service delivery.
Inspector General (IG) National Highways and Motorways Police (NH&MP) Kaleem Imam said that the network of highways and motorways is around 12,000 kms across the country while motorway police are covering 2,900 km. The Motorway Police will have to recruit 11,000 personnel to meet requirement.
The committee was also informed about the status of recommendations given in previous meetings. The committee expressed annoyance over non-implementation of its recommendations by the Finance Division with respect to Pakistan Post which could otherwise oust the entity from losses and asked them to attend the next meeting.