senate questions ppra

Senate questions PPRA over ePADS security and transparency

ByJustpaste.in

Islamabad: The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) came under Senate scrutiny as lawmakers raised concerns over transparency, cybersecurity and accountability in Pakistan’s public procurement system.

During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, members questioned whether the country’s new digital procurement system was strong enough to protect government contracts, public money and sensitive information.

The committee, chaired by Senator Rana Mahmood ul Hassan, reviewed PPRA’s performance and examined reforms aimed at improving how government departments purchase goods and services.

The Managing Director of PPRA informed the committee that the Electronic Pakistan Acquisition and Disposal System, known as ePADS 2.0, has been introduced to make government procurement more transparent and reduce the chances of irregularities.

Officials said the digital system now covers the complete procurement process, starting from planning until the final award of contracts.

The committee was informed that Standard Bidding Documents have been added to the system to ensure all government departments follow the same procedures and prevent unauthorised changes in tender documents.

Officials also informed lawmakers that payments made outside the ePADS system are no longer accepted, making the process more controlled and financially accountable. However, committee members raised questions about the electronic procurement platform’s cybersecurity, data protection, and overall safety.

Lawmakers questioned how the system protects sensitive procurement information and whether Pakistan’s digital procurement framework matches international standards. The committee directed PPRA to provide a detailed briefing on the cybersecurity measures, encryption methods and data protection systems used in ePADS.

Members also asked PPRA to compare Pakistan’s cybersecurity practices with leading international procurement systems to identify areas where improvements are needed.

The committee stressed that a digital system can only succeed if it remains secure, reliable and protected from possible cyber threats. During the meeting, members also questioned the difference between manual and electronic procurement, the time required to complete procurement processes and the method used to select successful bidders.

PPRA officials explained that contracts are awarded through the Most Advantageous Bid evaluation system. Officials said the relevant government departments decide technical requirements and qualification standards according to procurement rules.

The committee was informed that complaints related to procurement decisions are handled through a formal grievance system before parties can approach courts or other legal forums.

The committee also discussed government procurement during emergency situations, especially the purchase of fuel and essential goods during changing conditions in the Middle East.

PPRA officials clarified that no special exemption was provided for emergency purchases. They informed the committee that existing Public Procurement Rule 21A already provides a legal method for urgent procurement during supply shortages or emergency requirements.

The committee also reviewed draft regulations for the disposal of public assets. Officials informed members that the Disposal of Public Assets Regulations 2026 have been prepared according to the updated procurement framework and ePADS requirements.

A special disposal module has also been developed within ePADS to ensure public assets are disposed of through a transparent process. The committee directed PPRA to continue improving procurement standards, expand vendor training across Pakistan and strengthen the overall digital procurement system.

Members said better procurement management is important because government spending directly affects public services and national development. The committee also expressed concern over the Islamabad Club Administrator’s absence during the meeting despite the session being held at the club.

Members recommended that Islamabad Club elections should be conducted according to rules and decided to raise the matter with the Prime Minister’s Office. The committee further expressed dissatisfaction over the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission’s failure to follow previous committee directives.

Members recommended referring the matter to the Privileges Committee and informing the Prime Minister about the issue.

Similar Posts

  • | |

    Pattaya Prepares Athletes for Eastern Region Student Games Qualifiers

    ByJustpaste.in

    PATTAYA – Pattaya City has begun preparations to send its young athletes to the 41st Thailand Local Administrative Organization Student Sports Competition, known as the “Krasa Games.” Praeksa Subdistrict Municipality has been designated by the Department of Local Administration as host of the Eastern Region qualifying round. The event will take place from 15 to […]

  • | |

    Billions at stake: Senate questions NHA delays in …

    ByJustpaste.in

    Islamabad: The National Highway Authority (NHA) is under pressure after a Senate committee expressed serious concerns over delays in project restructuring, slow progress on major road schemes and the need for better management of billions of rupees invested in national highways. The Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives questioned why important decisions regarding NHA projects had not been completed on time and directed authorities to speed up work to prevent further delays. The committee, chaired by Senator Quratulain Marri, reviewed the progress of NHA projects and examined issues related to projects financed through the Cash Development Loan system. Officials informed the committee that NHA was preparing a complete debt restructuring plan in coordination with the Ministry of Communications and Finance Division. The committee expressed concern over delays in implementing earlier decisions of the Economic Coordination Committee regarding the review and separation of NHA projects under the Public Sector Development Programme. Senator Quratulain Marri said the review process should have been completed much earlier and questioned why important decisions were still pending. NHA officials informed the committee that the review of projects was currently underway and assured members that the process would be completed as soon as possible. The committee also reviewed progress on major highway projects, including the M6 Motorway and N55 Highway. Officials informed the committee that the groundbreaking ceremony for the M6 Motorway Project is expected later this year. Regarding the N5 Highway, NHA officials said rehabilitation work on different sections was currently continuing with financial support from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Officials told the committee that NHA conducts yearly surveys of highways to check their condition and classify roads as poor, fair or good. They said these surveys help authorities identify damaged sections and plan repair and maintenance work before conditions become worse. The committee also examined progress on the foreign funded portion of the N55 project. Officials informed members that the project was divided into different sections and progress varied across each part. They said one section from Shikarpur to Kandhkot had achieved 34 percent physical progress, with only eight months remaining before the completion deadline. The committee stressed that the remaining work must be completed within the planned time because delays increase costs and affect public convenience. Officials also informed the committee that another section from Kandhkot to Kashmore had achieved 22 percent progress and may face difficulties in meeting the original completion schedule. However, officials said other sections of the project were expected to be completed on time. The committee warned that delays in road projects not only waste public resources but also slow economic growth, trade activities and travel facilities for citizens. Senator Quratulain Marri emphasized that government departments should focus on completing existing projects before starting new development schemes. She said limited public funds must be used carefully and ongoing projects should receive priority until they are substantially completed. The committee directed NHA and relevant departments to improve coordination, complete pending reviews and ensure that important highway projects move forward without unnecessary delays.

  • |

    Senate pushes Rs617m gas project for 42 Ghotki villages

    ByJustpaste.in

    Islamabad: After years of waiting, 42 villages located near the Badar Gas Field in District Ghotki are finally moving towards receiving natural gas as the Senate Petroleum Sub Committee pushed authorities to act on a long delayed promise linked to the Prime Minister’s Directive of 15 September 2003 and Supreme Court directions. The Sub Committee, convened by Senator Jam Saifullah Khan, expressed concern over the continued delay in providing gas facilities to villages located within five kilometres of gas producing fields. The Committee directed relevant departments and companies to ensure that previous commitments are converted into practical work without further delay. The meeting was attended by Senators Manzoor Ahmed Kakar and Haji Hidayatullah Khan along with senior officials from the Petroleum Division, Finance Division, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority, Sui Southern Gas Company Limited, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, Oil and Gas Development Company Limited, Pakistan Petroleum Limited, Mari Energies and other stakeholders. During the meeting, the Sub Committee decided to give top priority to the gasification project for the remaining 42 villages near Badar Gas Field, District Ghotki. The estimated cost of the project is Rs617 million. The Special Secretary Petroleum Division, Finance Division officials and Chairman OGRA assured the Committee that Rs200 million would initially be released from the allocated Rs1 billion funds to start the project immediately. Managing Director Sui Southern Gas Company Limited informed the Committee that the company would provide its share of funding and begin technical planning, engineering work and procurement activities. It was decided that project activities would begin within ten days after the release of initial funds. The Committee was informed that remaining funds required for completing the project would be arranged without interruption. The Petroleum Division and Finance Division assured the Committee that financial issues would not become a reason for further delay. The Sub Committee also reviewed the wider issue of gas supply to villages located within five kilometres of gas producing fields across Pakistan. Officials informed the Committee that new policy guidelines are being prepared to implement the Prime Minister’s Directive and Supreme Court instructions regarding gasification of eligible villages. The Petroleum Division was directed to present a complete implementation plan in the next meeting. The plan will include details about funding arrangements, responsibilities of different organizations, district wise schedules and clear completion timelines for all remaining eligible villages across the country.

  • | | |

    AJK officials allege militants among JAAC proteste…

    ByJustpaste.in

    Authorities in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) have alleged that militants linked to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were present among protesters associated with the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), amid heightened tensions in the region. AJK Information Secretary Muhammad Rashid Hanif said on Tuesday that the presence of armed individuals and suspected militants had raised serious security concerns as the region prepared for the next phases of its electoral process. Hanif said the government’s primary responsibility was to preserve law and order while ensuring the continuation of the democratic process. He claimed that some individuals involved in the demonstrations were not ordinary protesters but had links with militant groups. During his briefing, the official presented footage showing masked and armed men positioned on the roof of a building. He alleged that militant elements were attempting to exploit ordinary citizens and urged residents to keep away from individuals involved in violence. Hanif further claimed that women and children were being used as human shields. He also rejected social media claims portraying the protests as solely a human rights movement, saying state institutions had information about the alleged presence of militants and other armed groups. AJK police spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General Irfan Kashfi said law enforcement agencies would respond to armed individuals as they would to other militant threats. According to Kashfi, the suspects were carrying sophisticated weapons, including automatic firearms, M-4 rifles, submachine guns and AK-47s. He said initial information also suggested that snipers had been involved in attacks on security personnel. The police official said one police officer had been killed while five others sustained injuries during clashes. He added that authorities had arrested a suspected individual in Rawalakot and recovered a military-grade weapon from his possession. Initial information suggested that the suspect was a foreign national and had allegedly been operating as a sniper. Kashfi maintained that security personnel were responding in self-defence and to protect civilians. Authorities were also investigating individuals suspected of facilitating the alleged militants. AJK Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore separately accused armed protesters of deliberately creating unrest and said security personnel had been targeted from strategic positions. He urged residents to avoid the demonstrations, alleging that the unrest was intended to provoke a wider confrontation during the election period. Tensions between the AJK administration and the JAAC have intensified over the past month. The committee has raised several demands, including a proposal to abolish 12 seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly.

  • | |

    LHC dismisses PTI’s Minar-e-Pakistan rally p…

    ByJustpaste.in

    The Lahore High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which sought permission to hold a public rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore. During the hearing, the court ruled that the petition had become unnecessary because the Deputy Commissioner (DC) had already made a decision on the party’s request for the gathering. The bench observed that the court must act within the framework of the law and cannot intervene once the competent administrative authority has issued its decision. The judges noted that the matter no longer required judicial consideration, as the relevant government official had already exercised the authority assigned under the law. On this basis, the court dismissed PTI’s plea. The ruling marks another legal setback for PTI in its efforts to secure permission for a public meeting at the historic Minar-e-Pakistan venue, where the party has previously held major political gatherings. The decision leaves the administrative authorities’ determination on the proposed rally in place.

  • | |

    Sindh High Court rejects disqualification plea aga…

    ByJustpaste.in

    The Sindh High Court has dismissed a petition seeking the disqualification of Pakistan Peoples Party leader and National Assembly member Shazia Marri over an alleged fake degree. The court announced its decision after the case remained pending for around 13 years. The petition was declared not maintainable and subsequently rejected. The court said the High Court does not have constitutional authority to disqualify a member of Parliament. According to the court, such matters must be dealt with through the relevant constitutional and electoral forums. The court also noted that a similar objection had previously been raised during the 2018 general elections. The matter was taken before an election tribunal at that time. The Election Commission later rejected the objection concerning Marri’s degree in 2022. An appeal against the tribunal’s decision was subsequently filed before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal in 2023 after it was withdrawn. During the latest proceedings, Marri’s lawyer argued that the degree issue had already been examined by the Election Commission. He told the court that evidence relating to the qualification had been presented before the commission. The lawyer maintained that the Election Commission had already rejected the petition concerning Marri’s degree. The court also discussed the constitutional requirements for disqualification. It observed that a person cannot be disqualified simply through a constitutional petition. The court said the authority to determine whether a person meets the required constitutional standards rests with the appropriate judicial and electoral forums. It further stated that the courts cannot declare an individual truthful and trustworthy outside the constitutional procedure provided for such matters. The judges also referred to previous orders of the Supreme Court while determining the maintainability of the petition. Based on these considerations, the court concluded that the petition could not be entertained. The decision brings an end to a legal challenge that had remained pending for more than a decade. The case had focused on allegations concerning Marri’s educational qualification. However, the Election Commission had already rejected the related objection. The latest ruling also reinforces the distinction between the powers of the High Court and those of election tribunals and other constitutional forums in matters involving parliamentary eligibility. The court’s decision means that the petition seeking Marri’s disqualification has been dismissed without granting the requested relief.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *