The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) has begun a comprehensive revision of its legal framework, including the Public Procurement Rules, 2004, to align with international best practices. The initiative follows Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directives to modernize public procurement processes and enhance accountability.
BR reported citing sources, that an international consultant was engaged to review the existing framework, with an initial draft of the Public Procurement Rules, 2025 presented to PPRA. The draft was assessed by PPRA’s internal team and a local consultant to ensure compliance with Pakistan’s legal framework and incorporate feedback from procuring agencies, suppliers, and the general public.
The revised draft was reviewed in four consecutive PPRA Board meetings, where multiple amendments were suggested and subsequently incorporated. After completing the internal review, the updated draft was sent back to the international consultant for expert evaluation.
The recommendations received were then forwarded to local consultant Osama Siddiqui for further refinement. The final set of Public Procurement Rules, 2025 will integrate best international practices while ensuring clarity and precision.
In November 2024, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had instructed PPRA to reform its structure, emphasizing the removal of underperforming and incompetent staff and their transfer to the surplus pool.
To enhance institutional independence, the PPRA Board was tasked with ensuring that the authority remains vertically independent, with its own specialized human resources recruited purely on merit.
Additionally, a first batch of newly recruited staff will undergo high-quality training abroad in procurement disciplines and will later serve as Master Trainers within the organization.
A key directive from the Prime Minister is the mandatory implementation of the e-Procurement system (e-PADS) across all ministries, organizations, and procuring agencies. Dedicated procurement units will be established within each ministry, staffed by trained professionals.
The Controller General of Accounts (CGA) has been instructed to process all procurement-related payments exclusively through e-PADS, ensuring greater transparency and efficiency in financial transactions.
