KARACHI, Sept 3: With all the victims believed to have been recovered from the debris of the collapsed Shershah Bridge, the National Highway Authority on Monday tasked the National Logistics Corporation, which had constructed the mega structure, to remove the wreckage.

Minster for Communications Shamim Siddiqui told Dawn that the removal of the debris would begin on Wednesday when the collapsed bridge would be completely cardoned off.“The city government will cordon off the site to avoid any further causalties,” he added.

The minister said that since the NLC was the construction contractor, it was also responsible for the removal of the debris.

“The NLC will complete the task in two weeks,” he said.

Mr Siddiqui said a federal investigation team, headed by himself, had already started the probe to acertain the cause of the collapse.

“The composition of the investigation team cannot be disclosed at the moment so that the probe is not influenced,” he added.

He said heavy machinery and equipment were required for removing the debris.

“Other departments including the Frontier Works Organisation and the city government have also been asked to extend assistance in the removal of the wreckage,” the minister added.

He said a high-level meeting of the National Highway Authority, chaired by him, decided on Monday that NLC would be tasked to remove the debris.

The meeting was attended among others by City Nazim Mustafa Kamal and Chairman of the National Disaster Management Cell, Lt-Gen (Retd) Farooq Ahmed.

Meanwhile, Gen Farooq told a news conference here that an investigation board was being formed to investigate the bridge collapse. He said the board would review the quality and quantity of the material used in the construction of the bridge.

He said the names of all those involved in the construction of the collapsed bridge had been put on the Exit Control List and that all relavant record had been seized.

The NLC in a statement said that the Shershah Flyover had collapsed due to a faulty design.

It said that the NLC had repeatedly pointed out the fault in the design of the structure to the consultant firm.

The bridge was constructed by the National Logistics Corporation and it was a part of the 57-km Northern Bypass. M/s Engineering Consultant International was the project’s consultant.

The bridge was completed two years ago but later a fault appeared in its design following which the bridge was redesigned in the light of the recommendations of a foreign consultant company.