- Senator Mandviwalla cites exclusion in the vehicle tendering process.
- Legislator asks AGPR to suspend payments and cancel orders.
- Letter urges immediate suspension amid fears of mismanagement.
ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue Chairman Senator Saleem Mandviwalla has urged Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to immediately stop the procurement of 1,010 vehicles for the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
In a letter dated January 22, Senator Mandviwalla highlighted his fears about the procurement process, emphasizing that the timing and scale of the procurement raised “considerable doubts about the transparency and integrity of the process” that need further review.
The letter comes a day after the Senate body directed the Board to stop the procurement as it criticized the FBR’s decision to purchase 1,010 vehicles for operational purposes at an estimated cost of Rs 6 billion.
The tax authority issued a letter of intent on January 13 for the Rs 6,000-crore acquisition. In the first phase, 500 vehicles will be delivered and an advance payment of Rs 3,000 crore has already been made.
The delivery schedule of the vehicles is planned in phases, starting with 75 units in January, followed by 200 in February and 225 in March. The second phase will include 250 vehicles in April and the final 260 in May.
The vehicles will carry the FBR logo for official identification and each unit will be equipped with a tracking system, with service charges covered for the first year.
Mandviwalla mentioned in the letter that the committee members, during a recent meeting, flagged the deliberate exclusion of competitors in the bidding process, raising suspicions of mismanagement and mala fide intentions.
The procurement, which is estimated to be significant in scope and cost, has been criticized for compromising the principles of transparency and equity, fundamental principles of public procurement policies.
The letter requested that the purchase order issued to the Accountant General of Revenue of Pakistan (AGPR) be canceled and payment stopped.
Furthermore, the letter asks the Finance Ministry to direct the FBR to stay the process, pointing out that circumventing financial integrity in the current economic circumstances would be a serious dereliction of duty.
A copy of the letter has been sent to FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for further consideration.
