Northern Bypass bridge collapse: National Assembly panel objects to formation of probe body

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Communication has shown dissatisfaction on the constitution and composition of the enquiry committee on collapse of Northern Bypass Shershah Bridge in Karachi. The Committee recommended inclusion of Muhammad Farooq Azam Khokhar and Shahid Hassan Bhutto in the inquiry committee.
This was decided in a meeting of NA Standing Committee held under the chairmanship of Brigadier Zulfiqar Ahmad Dhillon (retd), MNA, here on Wednesday in Parliament House. Among others, Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Shahid Hussain Bhutto, Muhammad Farooq Azam Malik, Amir Yar Malik, and Syed Gulzar Sibtain attended the meeting.
Taking strict notice of the absence of the NHA chairman in the meeting, the Committee observed that the NHA chief should not give preference to other engagements over attending the NA standing committee meetings. The Committee also observed that consultancy award of bridge designing should be given a firm of international repute subject to condition its vetting by foreign consultancy company.
It was briefed on Construction Technology Training Institute (CTTI), which is being financed by the communication ministry whereas its administrative control is under Frontier Works Organisation (FWO). The CTTI has run 12 such courses.