In a bid to transform Pakistan Post into a more efficient and revenue-generating entity, Federal Minister for Communications, Abdul Aleem Khan, has announced major reforms aimed at modernizing the country’s postal services. The goal is to streamline operations, reduce operational costs, and align Pakistan Post with current market demands, focusing particularly on improving services to compete with the private sector.
Chairing a high-level meeting at the Ministry of Communications, Minister Abdul Aleem Khan laid out an ambitious roadmap for the future of Pakistan Post, instructing the organization to modernize its operations and move away from outdated practices. Emphasizing the need for a robust cargo and e-commerce framework, the Minister directed Pakistan Post to enhance its services across all 13,000 post offices in the country, aiming to promote commercial activities and ensure the best cargo services are available nationwide.
The Minister also highlighted the importance of adopting a new business model that would replace underperforming staff with skilled professionals capable of boosting the organization’s efficiency and competitiveness. “Pakistan Post must evolve to meet the needs of today’s fast-paced world. We need to recruit top talent and eliminate outdated practices that hinder our ability to serve citizens efficiently,” said Minister Abdul Aleem Khan.
The government has set a six-month deadline for Pakistan Post to improve its performance, focusing on reducing expenses, increasing revenue, and enhancing the efficiency of both officers and staff. A comprehensive review of the organization’s 22,000 employees is underway, with the aim of ensuring that each individual plays a role in the transformation of the organization. The Minister made it clear that any employees who do not contribute to the improvement efforts would face dismissal. “If the staff does not show progress, we will be left with no choice but to shut the department down,” warned Abdul Aleem Khan.
To ensure that Pakistan Post can compete with leading courier companies, the Minister called for a new business strategy to be adopted, focusing on the integration of modern services. These include the introduction of National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) services, passport issuance, and a facility to handle both money orders and receipts at all post offices.
Minister Khan also called for the establishment of “One-Window Centres” at post offices across the country. These centres will serve as one-stop locations for a variety of services, making it easier for citizens to access services such as mail, money orders, passport applications, and government documentation. The meeting also addressed the need for Pakistan Post to define clear objectives in its business strategy. Minister Khan emphasized that government institutions must find ways to reduce costs while increasing revenue.
“Government institutions must be able to sustain themselves without burdening the taxpayer. Pakistan Post needs to embrace a strategy that will make it financially viable while enhancing its service delivery.”
Following the Minister’s directives over the past year, the Federal Secretary for Communications and the Director General of Pakistan Post briefed the high-level meeting on improvements already made, with a noticeable increase in revenue over the last year. The meeting also saw the presentation of several recommendations for the future business model of Pakistan Post, which will further align the department with modern standards of postal and commercial service delivery.
The reform of Pakistan Post is a key component of the federal government’s broader efforts to modernize government institutions and improve public service delivery. With the growing importance of e-commerce and digital services, the ability of Pakistan Post to evolve into a competitive player in this space will be crucial for its long-term success.
The Federal Minister’s reform agenda for Pakistan Post aims to address not only operational inefficiencies but also to make the department a valuable player in the country’s digital ecosystem. The transformation of the postal service is expected to have a significant impact on the delivery of government services, benefiting citizens nationwide with faster, more efficient services. The coming months will determine whether these reforms can be successfully implemented, potentially marking a new chapter in the modernization of Pakistan’s postal services.
