A Rs20 billion airport e-gate project has come under scrutiny after Transparency International Pakistan raised concerns over alleged violations in the contract award process involving the Pakistan Airports Authority.
In a letter to the Airports Authority’s Director General, the watchdog highlighted complaints alleging the contract was awarded without open bidding and may have involved misuse of PPRA Rule 42(f) under the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority framework.
According to the allegations, the project was reportedly awarded to a preselected group without following competitive procurement procedures required under the Public Procurement Rules 2004.
The complaint also questioned whether Rule 42(f), which applies under specific conditions to state-owned entities, was appropriately invoked, citing reported concerns over in-house technical capacity, expertise and execution resources.
Transparency International Pakistan said the allegations appeared valid on a prima facie basis and warned the procurement could amount to possible mis-procurement if violations are established.
Additional concerns were raised over the alleged absence of mandatory documents on the PPRA website, including the evaluation report and contract agreement, as well as questions regarding beneficial ownership disclosures, price reasonability checks and performance bond requirements.
The complaint also alleged the contract may have been awarded at nearly 100 percent above market prices, though these claims remain subject to investigation.
The watchdog has called for the project to be retendered through open competition in line with procurement laws, while copies of the complaint have also been shared with institutions including National Accountability Bureau, Federal Investigation Agency and other relevant authorities for review.
