Pakistan Books PIA’s German ex-boss For Graft

Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday registered booked German ex-CEO of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) for abusing his powers and making illegal appointments.

“The FIA Corporate Crime Circle has registered an FIR against German national Bernd Hildenbrand, a former acting CEO of PIA, for allegedly abusing his powers and illegally appointing Austrian national Hel­mut Bechhofner as a consultant to CEO in October 2016,” said deputy director, FIA, CCC, Karachi, Abdur Rauf.

FIA said the German national unlawfully app­ointed the accused Austrian national as consultant in the PIA without the approval of competent authority. The illegal appointment of Austrian national, Helmut Bechhofner is said to have cost $50,203 (equivalent to Rs 5,256,254) to national exchequer.

A case was registered under Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1947 read with Sections 109 (abetment) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant, or by banker, merchant or agent) of the Pakistan Penal Code.