ISLAMABAD, Aug 26: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has started investigation against Shahid Khakan Abbasi, the former federal minister and chairman of Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (PIAC), to investigate alleged payment of commission by SABRE, an international company, to Mr Abbasi for introducing high-tech ticketing system in the corporation.

The official said investigation against Mr Abbasi began some four months ago and if he was found guilty then a reference would be filed against him.

The NAB official said Mr Abbasi was accused of having taken commission for favouring SABRE by awarding the contract to it to modernize the PIA ticketing system.

The former PIAC chief is accused of causing a loss of $10 million to the Corporation in the deal. “It is pre-mature to say whether the former PIAC chief was involved in any sort of white-collar crime,” the official said.