Engineering must meet world standards

KARACHI: Pakistan needs to meet international standards in its construction of bridges, said the chancellor of Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET) Z A Nizami at a seminar on Sunday.

He pointed out that international standards require fulfilling a checklist with 25 must-dos before a bridge is opened for the public. The last of these points is a load test. According to Nizami, this principle is overlooked in the country. “It is high time that the Pakistan Engineering Council takes note of this fact,” he added.

Another engineer, Saeed Ahmed, said that engineers give in to politicians and agree to inaugurate structures on the date assigned to them. Participants at the seminar also discussed increasing corruption and dishonesty among government and engineers. “In my 60 years of experience in the engineering field, it is now that I feel that everybody is just after money,” said Ahmed, adding that contracts are being awarded to the lowest bidders who more often then compromised on quality and safety.

Another participant, Zafar Zuberi, said that all engineers were taught morality in their colleges but the virtue is missing quite a bit these days. The seminar was organised by the Institute of Engineers to mark Engineers Day.