RAWALPINDI, Sept 7: The computerized track and tracing system installed by the Pakistan Post Offices (PPO) in 11 big cities is not in operation since its installation some 11 months ago, official sources told Dawn.

The general post offices (GPOs) in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, and the recently set up Post

Mall in Sector F-8, are among the 38 locations in the 11 cities, where the system has been installed at a cost of Rs21.1 million to trace narcotics, explosive and other illegal items sent through mail.

However, despite spending such a huge amount, the system is not operative and the staff still have to work manually, the sources said.

The sources attributed the failure of the network to the “irregularities” committed in the award of the project contract.

They said on the instructions of the Pakistan Post Offices director-general, Maj-Gen Agha Masoodul Hasan (retired), the company which was earlier awarded the contract, outsourced the installation of software to another firm, giving it a share of Rs6.5 million.

The sources said owing to substandard hardware, the system often crashed even during the testing period after the installation of the network.

When contacted, the Pakistan Post Offices director-general told this reporter that he had no links with the software company. He said he had awarded the contract through tender advertised in media.

About the failure of the network, he said: “Owing to untrained staff, the computer system crashed and the network was disturbed.” However, despite the network failure, the Pakistan Post Offices was still paying monthly salaries to the officials of the software company from the resources of Pakistan Post Foundation (PPF).

According to the agreement, the Pakistan Post Offices will also pay one-third share in profit to the software company.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Post Foundation managing-director, Syed Ali, while talking to Dawn, admitted that the software company officials were still being paid salaries from the Foundation.

However, he said, the company was not being given one-third share from the profit despite the fact that awarding of such share had been decided in the agreement.

Talking about the failure of the network, Mr Ali said some staff members, who had been trained by the software company for running the system, had been shifted to other units.

Therefore, he said the network could not be properly utilized.

When contacted, the software firm chief executive, Mr Murtaza, said after the installation of the network, his company tested the system for seven months and never encountered any problems.

He said held the Pakistan Post Offices polices responsible for any hardware or software problem. After the installation of the network, he said, he had prescribed some standard operating procedures to Pakistan Post Offices authorities which they did not follow while operating the network.

He said three factors caused network failure — unavailability of internet facilities, required stationery, and trained manpower.

However, he said, the internet facility and stationery were yet to be provided to most of the 38 stations, due to which the network could not work.

Besides, he said the Pakistan Post Offices authorities had shifted the already trained staff to some rural areas, leaving the system to those who did not know anything about computers.