ISLAMABAD, Sept 28: The National Assembly standing committee on communications here on Wednesday approved the draft Post Office (Amendment) Bill 2005, which was referred to it by the lower house.

The committee met with Zulfiqar Ahmed Dhillon, MNA, in the chair to discuss the bill seeking amendment to Section 45 of the Post Office Act 1898.

Director General Pakistan Post informed the committee that the amendment would authorize the department to issue postal orders up to the value of Rs5,000 in the best interest of the public.

He said earlier the department was authorized to issue postal orders up to the value of only Rs50.

The committee asked the official to intensify the pace of computerization of postal services and look into the prospects of establishing post malls in various cities.

The meeting was attended by MNAs Syed Gulzar Sibtain Shah, Rao Mohammad Ajmal Khan, Akhtar Khan Kanju, Dr Rozina Tufail, Dr Ghulam Haider Samejo, Afsar Begum, Maulana Gohar Shah, Shahid Hussain Bhutto and Arbab Zakaullah.