Hakla – Dera Ismail Khan motorway will open for traffic by September: Senate told

ISLAMABAD, May 27 (APP):Minister for Communication Murad Saaed on Thursday informed the Senate that the Hakla to Dera Ismail Khan motorway project would be completed by September this year and open for traffic.
During the question hour, the minister said 89 percent work on the project has been completed and only bridges are being constructed that would soon be opened for traffic.
Murad Saeed said only 1100 kilometres of roads were approved during the last 15 years but the present government had approved 3300 kilometres only in two and half years.
To another question, the minister said the revenue of Pakistan Post has witnessed an increase of Rs 7.86 billion in a year.
He said when present government took over the charge, by the time the Pakistan Post Office Department was incurring huge loss. Its deficit was soaring, revenue was dwindling, and public trust was at the lowest ebb.
The minister said by compressing the existing services and undertaking a range of new initiatives, the new government turned the tide, reduced deficit, and sharply increased the revenue.
He said from September, 2018 to March, 2021, Pakistan Post earned revenue amounting to Rs. 37,559 million while in the same period previously (From Feb.2016 to August, 2018) total revenue earned was Rs. 29,692 million.
Murad Saeed said that a range of new initiatives were taken included same day delivery, mobile app – track & trace facility, pick-up service for bulk mail, standardized packaging material, EMS Plus for delivery of parcels and Packets at major overseas destinations in 72 hours, opening of Postal Rest Houses for general public, expansion of postal footprint through digital franchise post offices, foreign remittance initiative in collaboration with NBP at 500 locations and introduction of Electronic Money Order (EMO) at doorstep delivery.
He said the short term and midterm initiatives were included digitalization of financial services, partnership with Bank of Punjab of loans through Pakistan Post for DFPOs, renting out of Postal Properties, establishment of Pakistan Post Logistics Company, Pakistan Post Digital Bank and restructuring of Pakistan Post.
The minister said the international ranking of Pakistan Post has improved from 94th to 60.
Murad Saeed said Pakistan Post is known as service delivery organization and the basic mandate of Pakistan Post is to provide Postal Services throughout Pakistan, irrespective of cost involved.
Pakistan Post has to fulfill the Universal Service obligation, under which each and every citizen of Pakistan is entitled to receive Postal and allied services wherever he resides in Pakistan, he added.