A federal audit has uncovered that the Senate of Pakistan spent Rs. 28.2 million on food and catering services for visiting dignitaries and delegations between 2020 and 2024, bypassing the mandatory vendor pre-qualification process required under Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules.
Audit documents, reviewed by ProPakistani, revealed that the Senate Secretariat sourced meals, beverages, and even some appliances from private vendors—including Café Meet & Eat, Heaven Food & Caterers, Jillani Caters, and Naveed Caterers & Event Management—without conducting any competitive bidding or proper screening.
According to the Secretariat, the purchases were made to meet “urgent requirements” during visits by parliamentarians, ambassadors, foreign delegations, and civil society representatives. It claimed the events were often arranged at short notice, forcing management to arrange services on credit.
However, the Auditor General’s office rejected this justification, stating that the lack of pre-qualification undermined transparency and allowed non-competitive pricing, directly violating Public Procurement Rules, 2004. The audit classified the spending as “irregular and non-compliant.”
A breakdown of vendor payments showed:
Vendor ID-1931: Rs. 20,370,674
Vendor ID-1934: Rs. 7,014,129
Vendor ID-1936: Rs. 874,733
Total: Rs. 28,259,536
The audit further directed the Senate Secretariat to regularize the irregular procurement and strictly follow PPRA rules in the future. The Development and Audit Committee (DAC), in a meeting held on February 11, 2025, also instructed the Secretariat to provide rate justifications and supporting vouchers for verification.
