ISLAMABAD: The postal department suffered a loss of Rs559 million over the past five years as a result of corruption, misappropriation and embezzlement by its officials, the director general of Pakistan Post informed a parliamentary committee on Thursday.

At a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Communication held at the Parliament House and presided over by its Chairman Sufyan Yusuf, the director general gave a briefing about his department.

He said that 538 cases of misappropriation involving Rs559m had surfaced from July 2009 to June 2014. These cases were registered by the police, National Accoun­tability Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency. A total of Rs107m was recovered from the officials found guilty and disciplinary action had been taken against those involved in malpractices, he added.

The committee was informed that 405 post offices were opened and 584 closed in the country during the past five years. The committee directed the postal department to take all steps needed to vacate properties and housing units of Pakistan Post encroached upon by other departments/ unauthorised persons.

The committee asked the Ministry of Communication to make a framework on Pakistan Private Courier Services Regulatory Authority Bill, 2015, and present it in the next meeting.

Those who attended the meeting were MNAs Sarzameen, Chaudhary Khalid Javaid Warraich, Dr Darshan, Nazir Ahmad Bughio, Ramesh Lal, Salim Rehman, Engineer Hamidul Haq Khalil, Mohammad Muzammil Qureshi, Sahibzada Tariqullah, Naseema Hafeez Panezai, Engineer Usman Khan Tarakai, Shajehan Muneer Mangrio and officials of the Ministry of Communication.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2015

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