ISLAMABAD: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) and the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) have signed an addendum to their existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in sharing and exchanging information, specifically related to the E-Pak Acquisition & Disposal System (e-PADS).
This collaboration will enable both regulators to monitor and prevent collusive practices and rigging in public procurements via the e-PADS platform. The government of Pakistan’s e-procurement system, e-PADS, is administered by PPRA for procurements across all federal government departments and institutions.
The MoU was signed by Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu, Chairman of CCP, and Hasnat Ahmed Qureshi, Managing Director of PPRA, during a ceremony held at the CCP Head Office. The event was attended by Salman Amin, Member of CCP, Shahzad Hussain, DG (Advocacy)/Registrar of CCP, Sheikh Afzaal Raza, Project Director (e-PADS), and other senior officers from both PPRA and CCP.
PPRA introduced e-PADS mainly to address inefficiencies and ensuring transparency in public procurements. It is now mandatory for all federal public sector organizations to process their procurements through this system.
Under Section 4(e) of the Competition Act, 2010, the CCP is mandated to take action against collusive tendering or bidding in the procurement of goods or services. Through this collaboration, PPRA will share e-PADS data with CCP to detect and prevent suspicious collusive practices, helping to combat anti-competitive practices and ensure fairness in public procurement.
Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu, Chairman CCP, emphasized that this collaboration is a significant step towards ensuring transparency and fairness in public procurements.
The data-sharing initiative will allow for the swift detection and prevention of collusive practices, ensuring that public resources are used effectively. Hasnat Ahmed Qureshi, Managing Director of PPRA, stated that by successfully implementing e-PADS, PPRA is enhancing efficiency and accountability in the procurement process.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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