The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in combating bid rigging, collusive tendering, and other anti-competitive practices in public procurement.
CCP Secretary Marryum Pervaiz signed the MoU on its behalf, while Muhammad Tahir, director general Operations NAB signed it for his organization. CCP Chairman Kabir Ahmed Sidhu and NAB Chairman Lt. Gen. Nazir Ahmed Butt (retd.) witnessed the signing along with senior officials of both organizations.
The agreement sets a framework for joint efforts in information sharing, investigation, and technical collaboration. It includes mutual support in capacity-building, data access, identification of risk patterns, and enforcement strategies.
Sidhu noted that while the federal Public Sector Development Program for 2023–24 stood at Rs. 1,100 billion, provincial Annual Development Plans totaled around Rs. 1.559 trillion. Despite PPRA’s e-procurement system, there is no robust mechanism to ensure transparency in public sector bidding, underscoring the need for regular monitoring of collusive practices.
He said CCP has developed advanced software to analyze large datasets and detect patterns of bid rigging and collusion. He also highlighted that accountability laws require criminal standards of proof, while the Competition Act operates on a civil standard. He stressed that inter-agency information sharing can boost deterrence and enable smarter enforcement.
The NAB chairman commended the CCP chairman for initiating institutional collaboration. He stressed that corruption and collusive practices in public procurement are draining national resources and must be tackled with urgency. He noted that NAB could benefit from CCP’s expertise in data analysis to detect cartelization, calling such practices “mega crimes” against the economy.
He reaffirmed the shared responsibility of both organizations to combat collusion and corruption and expressed confidence that the MoU would enhance their enforcement effectiveness.