The Punjab Excise, Taxation, and Narcotics Control Department is considering an agreement with the Pakistan Post for the instant delivery of smart cards and registration documents to the residences and offices of over four million people annually.
The department currently has an agreement with a private courier company for the delivery of documents and Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) but its delivery rate is unsatisfactory.
The courier company is paid a nominal amount of Rs. 30 per delivery that has resulted in its staff’s lack of enthusiasm to find receivers’ addresses and make prompt deliveries.
The department has successfully been in talks with Pakistan Post for the provision of delivery services.
According to the postal departments’ rules, the maximum compensation limit is Rs. 50,000, and it has sent a summary to the Federal Ministry of Communications to increase the limit by 10 percent.
The Excise Department will seek the approval of the Cabinet for a concession in the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) in order to move forward with the agreement with the Pakistan Post.
The department will also establish a ‘Project Management Unit’ for its projects.
The Secretary Excise and Taxation Department Punjab, Waqas Ali Mahmood, said, “The private courier company will be given one last chance to improve its services before the government signs an agreement with the postal department”.