KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Monday registered a case against two foreigners for allegedly being involved in an illegal appointment made in the Pakistan International Airlines which caused financial losses to the exchequer.

“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.

“The illegal appointment of Austrian national, Helmut Bechhofner caused a loss of $50,203 (equivalent to Rs5,256,254) to national exchequer,” says a press release. “It has been established that the accused German national by abusing his official position as acting CEO of PIA, unlawfully app­ointed the accused Austrian national as consultant in the PIA without the approval of competent authority.”

The 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.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2020