SAHIWAL: The postmen in the Head Post Office, Pakpattan, are on strike for the last six days against the extra workload due to staff shortage and no promotion.

Because of the strike, not a single letter, parcel and other postal material was delivered to residents of Pakpattan city.

The postmen said they would not perform their duty until the department filled all the vacant posts.

It is learnt there are four sanctioned posts in the post office and out of them two have been lying vacant for the last four years.

The two postmen on strike said they could not cover up 50pc extra workload. The two postmen demanded the department fill the vacant posts.

A source close to the situation told Dawn no higher-up was paying attention to the strike or to resolve the matter.

Pakpattan Head Post Office in-charge Bao Nazar told the media all the matters related to strike, non-deliverance of post in the city and shortage of postmen were in the notice of their higher-ups in the department. He said he was using the peon for packing and delivery of posts.

Arif Hussain, divisional superintendent General Post Office Sahiwal, agreed that there was shortage of staff but the department was planning to induct new staff and promote the existing postmen.

BODY: An unidentified man died on Circular Road, Pakpattan on Monday.

The local people put the body at a wooden plank and placed ice around it to keep it cool as they waited for Farid Nager police or Rescue 1122 to collect it.

They said they could not bury the body due to legal issues.

However, no policeman came to collect the body.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2018