ISLAMABAD, Dec 5: The government has reappointed National Highway Authority Chairman Chaudhry Altaf Ahmed on contract basis after his retirement.

According to a notification issued by the establishment division, Mr Ahmed will serve as the NHA chief till further orders even though he is on bail in the Shershah Bridge case. The bridge in Karachi collapsed in Sept 2007 soon after its completion.

According to sources, the NHA chief has been reappointed on the orders of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the notification has been sent to the ministry of communication.

Mr Ahmed is said to be close to both President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani.

He was arrested on Nov 6 in connection with the collapse of the bridge but got bail from Sindh High Court on Nov 12. The bail was granted five days before Eidul Azha, allowing him to spend Eid holidays with his family.He, along with his aides, was arrested from the court premises on the orders of the additional district and sessions judge. The contractor and another accused managed to escape.

The NHA chairman's close association with the president was exposed first when he avoided a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly and managed to flee the country even though his name was on the Exit Control List.

He flew to China to joint the president's entourage there, avoiding the PAC meeting at which he was expected to be grilled for his alleged involvement in the collapse of the bridge.

Mr Ahmed and two other senior officials had been put on the ECL on the directives of the court after they had been nominated in the bridge collapse case three years ago.