ISLAMABAD - The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has taken the notice of collapse of an under-construction bridge in Jhelum, merely a month before its inauguration and has summoned concerned authorities for investigation, The Nation has learnt reliably.
The Punjab government approved Rs330 million for the construction a bridge to connect the Pind Dadan Khan with Jhelum on the recommendation of the ruling party’s MPA Chaudhry Laal Khan and construction work had started on the bridge in 2014. The concrete structure fell following a thunderstorm in the area a few days ago. However, no loss of life or injury was reported.
Sources told The Nation, NAB chairman has ordered the investigation on the complaint of local residents and a NAB team has also summoned the relevant commissioner, construction firm and the committee which awarded the clearance certificate to Construction Company.
They said that NAB team would also probe the local MPs and commissioner and other officials who did not monitor the construction of bridge as the firm used the substandard material in bridge construction. NAB investigation team will submit its report to its chairman in next week in this regard, they added. Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif had constituted a committee to visit the site and collect the samples of the material used in the construction of bridge and submit report at the earliest. Commissioner Rawalpindi Azmat Mehmood also visited Jhelum on Wednesday and got the initial reports from the local administration regarding the incident. MPA Laal Khan also inspected the collapsed bridge and said it might have happened due to the technical fault of engineers. However, he said he was not in position to pass any remarks till the completion of investigation.
Talking to The Nation, Azmat Mehmmod said the committee has started investigation to find the reasons behind collapse of bridge before inauguration. He said that the committee would present its report to Punjab CM and government will take action against under the light of committee’s recommendations.
