MIRPUR (AJK): Alongside the global community, Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) marked ‘World Post Day‘ on Wednesday, aiming to raise public awareness about the vital role postal services continue to play in today’s world of rapid communication technologies like the internet and SMS.
Various events, organized by Pakistan Post, were held across major cities in AJK, including Mirpur, to emphasize the relevance of postal services in connecting people worldwide. These events underlined the ongoing importance of the postal department in maintaining communication links across the globe.
Speakers at these gatherings discussed new services introduced by Pakistan Post, such as express fax, savings accounts, internet-based Western Union transfers, money orders, and electronic money orders, among others, all accessible throughout the country, including AJK.
The yearly festival of World Post Day on October 9 is planned to help the productive and consistent worldwide mail framework. In Mirpur, understudies and educators from different schools went to an exceptional function held at the General Mail center (GPO).
Officials from the Postal Service, including Raja Muhammad Arif, Chief Postmaster of Mirpur GPO, and Ch. Shabbir Hussain, Deputy Chief Postmaster, provided attendees with a historical overview of postal services. The Chief Postmaster shared a message from the Director General of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), highlighting the significance of postal services in both the present and future.
To commemorate the day, a ceremonial cake was cut at the GPO, and officials answered students’ questions about the evolution and importance of postal services. Participants gained insights into the services provided by Pakistan Post, both locally and internationally.
Students were also given a tour of the GPO, where they learned how modern postal services meet contemporary communication needs. It’s notable that postal services, which began with messengers on foot or horseback, have evolved significantly over time. By the 1600s and 1700s, many countries had established national postal systems and formed bilateral agreements to exchange mail internationally.
However, by the late 19th century, the web of bilateral agreements had become complex and inefficient. In 1863, Montgomery Blair, then Postmaster General of the United States, convened a conference with 15 European and American nations to discuss international postal cooperation. While no formal international agreement was reached at that time, important principles were established.
On September 15, 1874, Heinrich von Stephan, a senior postal authority in the North German Confederation (current pieces of Germany, Poland, and Russia), opened a gathering in Berne, Switzerland, went to by delegates from 22 nations. This led to the signing of the Treaty of Berne on October 9, 1874, creating the General Postal Union, later renamed the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1878.
In 1948, the UPU turned into a particular organization of the Unified Countries. During the 16th UPU Congress in Tokyo, Japan, in 1969, October 9 was declared World Post Day to honor the signing of the Treaty of Berne.
