Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed for third party validation of all development projects with outlay exceeding two billion rupees. He was chairing a meeting in Islamabad today, regarding electronic procurement, e-Pak acquisition and disposal system. The Prime Minister said government is taking concrete steps to ensure transparency in all kinds of procurement procedures. He directed for third party validation in procurement process to effectively redress grievances and concerns in this regard. Shehbaz Sharif said the system for redressal of complaints about procurement should not be under the procuring agency and rules should be amended in this regard. Expressing dissatisfaction over the delay in implementation of e-procurement project, he directed to complete the project within one month. On the occasion, the Prime Minister was briefed that e-Procurement project was started in 2017 with funding from World Bank. He was briefed that total project cost of e-procurement is 45 million dol lars and it has been implemented in 37 ministries and over three hundred procuring agencies of the federal government so far. MoUs have also been signed with the governments of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir regarding e-procurement. Source: Radio Pakistan