Travel ban imposed on PIA’s German CEO
islamabad — Pakistan barred the first foreign national chief executive of the state-owned national airline from leaving the country as the government begins an investigation into a plane-lease contract.
Bernd Hildenbrand, the German head of Pakistan International Airlines Corp., has been put on a so-called exit control list and the nation’s anti-graft Federal Investigation Agency has been directed to probe the national carrier, Interior Ministry spokesman Sarfraz Hussain said by phone on Friday without giving details.
The order comes as the nation looks to turnaround the carrier that hasn’t made a profit in more than a decade by adding planes and increasing flights on profitable routes.
Hildenbrand has had a turbulent reign dealing with a plane crash in December that killed 48 people on board and labour unrest after the government attempted to sell a stake in the airline.
“It is the prerogative of any government to keep an eye on spending being done by entities owned by it, but one expects this to be done in a reasonable way,” Hildenbrand said by phone on Friday.
“They don’t seem to have much understanding of the aviation leasing business so things can be explained to them. If they have doubts over my integrity they are welcome to interrogate me.” Officials at the German consulate in Karachi didn’t immediately comment when contacted.
Hildenbrand, who is based in the city, said he only found out about his travel ban from Press reports and that nobody in the government has approached him. He said that PIA’s tenders are open and that airline invites the media to report on them. — Bloomberg