Procurement of surgical, medical disposables in Punjab: Opposition seeks explanation for Rs18.94bn tender cancellation

LAHORE: The alleged cancellation of a Rs 18.94 billion tender for the procurement of surgical and medical disposables in Punjab has reached the provincial assembly, with opposition lawmakers raising questions over the transparency of health department’s procurement process.

Opposition members Tayyab Rashid and Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar have submitted an adjournment motion in the Punjab Assembly, seeking an explanation for the cancellation of tender for the financial year 2026-27.

According to the motion, 35 companies had already submitted their documents to participate in the tender process for the procurement of surgical disposables. However, the tender was subsequently cancelled, raising concerns about the availability of essential surgical supplies in hospitals across the province.

The lawmakers stated that despite companies contacting the relevant authorities, the Rs 18.94 billion tender was cancelled, raising serious questions about the procurement process of the Punjab health department.

They expressed apprehension that the cancellation could lead to an attempt to award the contract to “favourite companies” through a fresh procurement process. The opposition members further alleged that the cancellation of the tender was linked to billions of rupees in corruption and demanded that the government ensure transparency in the procurement process to prevent public money from being misused.

They also called for immediate measures to ensure uninterrupted supplies of surgical and medical disposables to hospitals across Punjab, warning that any delay could adversely affect healthcare services. The lawmakers demanded that the tendering process be made fully transparent and competitive to safeguard public funds and ensure procurement on merit.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026