ISLAMABAD, Sept 19: A special committee has been constituted to probe large-scale recruitments in the postal services department.

It has been learnt that as many as 2,523 employees were recruited in the Pakistan Post, during the last three years.

The national assembly’s standing committee on postal services has raised the issue. It has formed a special committee to investigate into the massive appointments.

“We have taken up the issue and asked for an explanation from the postal officials. We have formed a special committee to inquire into the case,” chairman national assembly standing committee on postal services, Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla told this reporter here on Wednesday.

According to him, the committee will comprise of MNAs Amer Ali Khan Magsi, Raja Muhammad Asad Khan, Maulana Abdul Malik Wazir, Dr Nelson Azeem, Rana Muhammad Ishaq Khan, Imrana Saeed Jamil.

The inquiry committee has been tasked to prepare a comprehensive report on whether rules and regulations, merit and transparency were followed in the recruitment process.

Findings of the report will be presented in the next meeting of the standing committee, Mr Bodla added.

Officials of the postal department claim that all the recruitments had been made in a transparent manner, observing merit.

The posts were advertised in different newspapers according to the prescribed quota and appointments were made after thorough examinations, the mailing department claimed.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the national assembly standing committee on postal services on Wednesday discussed Pakistan Postal Services Management Board (Amendment) Bill 2008. The Bill authorises government to regulate, control and supervise the functioning and operations of courier companies and also check the mushroom growth of such entities.

There should be a check, especially on courier companies, which are not providing quality services to the masses, members of the committee directed.

It is to mention here that presently no regulatory regime existed for proper regulation and control of activities of courier companies. They have been given a carte blanche to exploit the masses.