PM orders probe against SNGPL over alleged tender violations

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday ordered a full-scale investigation against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) following a formal complaint by Transparency International Pakistan (TIP), which alleged multiple breaches of public procurement rules. The move comes amid growing scrutiny of state-owned enterprises accused of murky and potentially biased contracting practices. A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said Prime Minister Sharif has ordered a “fully transparent” investigation into the allegations and emphasised that anyone found culpable would face the consequences, signalling a rare step towards accountability in Pakistan’s often opaque energy sector. “If the complaint is proven during the investigation, action should be taken against those responsible, ” it added. The complaint, submitted last week, challenges SNGPL over a tender for the procurement of air intake gas elements and pre-filter socks. TIP’s letter to the Prime Minister’s Office singled out the company for ignoring Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) instructions, raising concerns about favouritism and procedural breaches. The watchdog alleged that SNGPL restricted the tender exclusively to foreign bidders, sidelining domestic competitors. TIP also questioned how a complainant, who submitted full documentation including test reports identifying the manufacturer of the filters, was deemed “non-responsive” under clause 3. 2(b), a rule intended solely for foreign bidders’ experience documentation. The case has already drawn attention from the PPRA Review Board, which reportedly flagged the procurement as “mis-procurement. ” TIP claims its follow-up review uncovered additional irregularities requiring urgent clarification from SNGPL’s management. The inquiry now places SNGPL under the microscope at a time when the country’s energy sector has been mired in controversy over mismanaged tenders and opaque supplier selection processes, raising questions about oversight and accountability in state-run utilities. As investigators prepare to scrutinise the procurement process, the outcome could test the federal government’s resolve in confronting entrenched practices in the country’s sprawling energy bureaucracy. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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