KARACHI: The acting chief executive officer of the Pakistan International Airlines, Bernd Hildenbrand, has been relieved of his charge and the airline’s chief financial officer Nayyar Hayat has been given the charge of acting CEO, it is learnt here reliably.

According to highly placed sources, Mr Hildenbrand, a German national, is facing various charges relating to misuse of authority, causing losses to the airline, selling of its aircraft at a low price without following laid down procedures, etc, and different investigation agencies, including the Federal Investigation Agency, are probing the charges. His name has already been put on the Exit Control List.

The sources said the letter relieving him of the charge had been issued late Thursday night. Though the letter showed the name of PIA human resources chief Raheel Ahmed, it was signed for him by his subordinate Zafar Ali.

According to the sources, the personal order No 013/2017 (organisational announcement) issued by the human resource department says: “Mr Bernd Hildenbrand, P–67589, Chief Operating Officer, is hereby relieved from the assignment of acting chief executive officer.

“Mr Nayyar Hayat, P– 64717, chief financial officer, will continue as acting CEO till further orders.”

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2017