KARACHI, May 17: The 760-plus postmen of the Pakistan Post Office in the city have not received their summer uniforms, which is why they have to wear winter uniforms these days in stifling heat.
PPO sources told Dawn on Friday that in the absence of summer uniforms, the postmen had to wear winter uniforms which was made from thicker fabric.
They added that in July, last year, the minister for communications and railways, Javed Ashraf Qazi, had made it mandatory for postmen to wear specified uniforms while on duty.
Last year, the PPO withdrew the uniform allowance from postmen because they allegedly used to spend the amount without purchasing the same.
“When the PPO distributed winter uniforms last time, a large number of postmen failed to get their uniforms. They have been in a fix because action can be taken against them for not wearing uniforms while on duty,” the sources added.
The postmen told Dawn that the facilities offered by the PPO to them was not in proportion with their workload. They added that they handled the mail of more than 130 million people of the city.
The PPO pays less than Rs2,500 to 764-plus postmen working in Karachi. For non-Matric postmen, the salary package begins with Rs1,360 and rises to Rs2,230 in 15 years. Similarly, for Matriculate postmen, the salary package begins with Rs1,400 and rises to Rs2,390 in 15 years.
Postmen working in the Saddar area told Dawn that though their job required a lot of running around, they did not receive travelling allowance.
They added that they were entrusted with the job of distributing telephone bills — 400,000 or thereabouts — despite the fact that their strength was not enough to perform the task properly.
The postmen Dawn spoke to said that despite the fact that other courier agencies authorized to distribute telephone bills were paid less by the Pakistan Telecommunication Company, their delivery staff were given a better salary package, as well as travelling allowance.
They added that everyday, postmen handled 170,000 postal traffic — letters, parcels, periodicals, etc, — and their salaries were not in proportion with the workload. The sources said that the PPO could afford to better the pay package of postmen.
Last year, the PPO had earned a profit of Rs400 million. This year, the target profit for the PPO was Rs500 million. Officials working at the Saddar General Post Office said that the news reports announcing the imminent conversion of the PPO to a corporation had fuelled speculations among the staff, particularly the low-level personnel, that more layoffs were around the corner. They added that by maintaining silence, the government was merely lending strength to such rumours.
They maintained that the communications minister was on record having said that some postal circles would be eliminated. They added that it meant a large number of postal officials would lose their jobs.
Mr Qazi also told Dawn that the PPO would be converted to a corporation by the end 2002.
Speaking to Dawn from Islamabad, the minister said the PPO was being restructured so that it could be converted into a corporation. He added that a postal board was being formed, some postal circles were being eliminated and inspection teams were being set up.
An official working at one of the 187 post offices in the city welcomed the move, saying that the conversion of the PPO into a corporation would result in a better pay package for the PPO employees.