Zubair Qureshi Islamabad
The security agencies have issued directives to all the post offices, particularly those in the federal capital and courier services too, to strictly watch and scrutinize all the postal mail particularly that which is addressed to the judges of higher judiciary, i.e. high court and the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The staff of the postal office has also been cautioned and directed to keep an eye especially on the mails for the judges, their relatives and staff of the court.
Sources in the interior ministry told Pakistan Observer on Friday that strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) are being followed to scrutinize every letter addressed to high-profile personalities and thorough inspection and verification has been directed before opening it.
The PostMaster General meanwhile, has issued a circular to the postal staff to be careful and take extraordinary measures. All the counter clerks and post masters have been directed to wear masks and gloves while sorting, delivering mails.
However, during a visit to various post offices, it was found out that little attention was being paid to these SOPs as the government employees usually take such instructions in a light vein.
The decision to escalate security protocols was taken after the discovery of arsenic powder in letters sent to prominent judges of the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court.
A senior official of the post office was of the view that the problem cannot be resolved as long as ordinary envelopes are being delivered.
It is time that we should stop the delivery of ordinary mail, he said, however that is not possible without a decision by the Federal Cabinet. Worldwide, post offices have stopped catering to the ordinary posts and only registered posts are being accepted and further delivered, he said.
Despite all the measures and instructions by the security agencies or postal authorities, the element of threat will remain unless we call off the services of the ordinary post, he further said.
At present, there are 63 post offices in Islamabad’s rural and urban areas including six night post offices and all of them are giving ordinary postal services.
