Govt ensuring transparency in procurement procedures: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has instructed that all development projects with budgets exceeding two billion rupees undergo third-party verification.

He chaired a meeting in Islamabad today to discuss electronic procurement, the e-Pak acquisition system, and the disposal process.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the government is taking definitive measures to ensure transparency in all procurement procedures.Senate Panel Criticizes PTA for Snubbing Internet Issues Briefing

He directed that third-party validation be incorporated into the procurement process to effectively address grievances and concerns.
Shehbaz Sharif noted that the system for handling procurement complaints should be independent of the procuring agency and that rules should be revised accordingly.

Expressing frustration over the delays in the e-procurement project’s implementation, he ordered its completion within one month.

During the meeting, it was reported that the e-Procurement project, initiated in 2017 with funding from the World Bank, has a total cost of 45 million dollars and has been implemented in 37 ministries and over three hundred federal procuring agencies to date.

Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) have also been signed with the governments of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir regarding e-procurement.