Postal field staff working without safety gear

LAHORE:The operational staff of 13,000 post offices is exposed and vulnerable to coronavirus as they are working without personal protective equipment during the pandemic in Pakistan.

The postal staff is providing payment of pensions to 1.4 million pensioners retired from armed forces, CDA and PTCL on their doorstep. The operational staff of post offices is working without personal protective equipment, including mask N-95, sanitiser and polythene gloves, said the staff members working in field while talking to The News.

According to them, the operational staff could be affected by the virus as they are providing pension payments to pensioners on their doorstep. They could be carriers and source of transfer of the virus and their families could be affected. It can affect huge population of the country. They complained that rest of the government employees were restricted to live in their houses so that they could be saved from devastating effects of coronavirus. According to them, the government has announced incentive for doctors, nurses and paramedical staff. The staff of Pakistan Post Office is working in danger and threat. The government of Pakistan did not announce special incentive for the staff of Pakistan Post Office.

Khalid Javed, post master general, Punjab, Lahore, said “Pakistan Post pays to our valued retired military personnel and postal pensioners through post offices across the country.” As the corona pandemic has endangering the lives of citizens especially the elderly people, the higher management of Pakistan has decided to pay pension in advance to 1.4 million pensioners of military and postal pensioners at their doorstep on the direction of the ministry concerned.

Nasir Mahmood, director Admin, Pakistan Post Office, said “We cannot provide mask N-95 to the staff rather we are providing simple masks to our staff.” He said Pakistan Post Office comes under essential services so the post offices cannot be closed even in adverse situation. He said he would not say anything as announcing incentive was the matter concerning the government.