Pakistan Post launches export parcel service ‘EMS Plus’

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Post Saturday launched the export parcel service ‘EMS Plus’ for small traders to deliver their consignments in foreign countries within 72 hours at minimum rates.

Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed formally inaugurated the service in a ceremony here at the Pakistan Post head office. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Media Affairs Iftikhar Durrani, Secretary Postal Services Pir Baksh Khan Jamali and Director General of Pakistan Post Naseer Ahmed Khan were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said Pakistan had got an honest leader in the person of Prime Minister Imran Khan and under his vision, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government is taking measures to make all the loss making state institutions profit generating organisations.

Similarly, he said, effective steps were being taken to steer the Pakistan Post out of losses and make it a profitable entity. The ‘EMS Plus’ is one of such measures which would help the organisation earn income, he added.

He said the service, which had been initially launched as a pilot project in Faisalabad, Sialkot and Lahore, under which a parcel of up to 30 kilograms could be booked for six countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, the United Kingdom, Thailand and Australia. The parcels would be shipped to the designated countries same day by air, he added.

Murad Saeed said the service would be extended to other foreign countries in the second phase likely next month. Initially, the service was to be launched for the entire world, however, due to some technical problems, it was started for six countries, he added.

The minister said advertisements would be floated in the newspapers during the current week to hire the services of courier companies in respective countries. Counters would be established at the airports with deployment of the staff of Pakistan Post for timely dispatch of the consignments, he added.

He said the prime minister wanted a business friendly environment in the country and his government was taking all possible steps for ease of doing business, particularly for small businessmen.

The export parcel service was one of such steps and the Pakistan Post would come up to the expectations of the exporters.

He said there were two basic guarantees for the people to send their parcels through couriers, one was the timely delivery and the second of confidence and trust regarding its delivery to the consignee. The Pakistan Post being the official organisation would ensure delivery of the parcels at the destination within 72 hours at the minimum charges, he added.

He urged the business community to prefer the ‘EMS Plus’ as it would cost them almost 175 percent less than the amount charged by private courier firms.

The minister said the Pakistan Post would soon offer its services for online

shopping through its website as many multiple commodities had shown interest in selling their brands through it.