ON Monday, a court in Karachi acquitted two former heads of the National Highway Authority along with other officials and consultants in the Shershah bridge collapse case. Apparently, none of the witnesses testified specifically against the accused. Five people died and over a dozen were injured when giant slabs of the bridge came down in September 2007, crushing cars and other vehicles. The tragedy occurred barely weeks after the bridge, located in Karachi’s Shershah area, was officially inaugurated by then president Pervez Musharraf. A possible design fault was said to be behind the collapse; a government inspection team had said that the design was ill-conceived while there was “criminal neglect” on the part of the contractor. The NHA also came under heavy criticism. It may be possible that the officials in question were not directly responsible for the collapse. Yet the fact remains that the bridge collapsed very soon after being inaugurated, which indicates there was something amiss in the design, planning or construction processes. As is the case here, the well-connected are seldom brought to justice, and those responsible for the Shershah tragedy may never face accountability.

However, we hope the government has learnt a lesson from the disaster. The collapse is a reminder of the need for stricter oversight where large public infrastructure projects are concerned. Building collapses in Karachi and other large cities are routine, mostly because building codes are routinely flouted. But the Shershah collapse was perhaps the first of its kind in the country. The authorities must ensure quality control as well as adherence to building standards. The relevant quarters must guarantee that structures — especially large projects — are built with quality material, are earthquake proof and given the green signal only after passing environmental assessments. Continued apathy where building and structural safety is concerned will only pave the way for further tragedies.