PIA's A310 to go to Leipzig

[Abbas Ali]

PIA Still Owns the Airbus A310 Parked in Germany

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) maintained on Wednesday that it had not sold its Airbus A310-300 aircraft to a museum in Germany and the one present there still belonged to the national flag carrier.

A PIA spokesperson further added that the issue of the airline’s A310 aircraft being taken to Germany was being investigated by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Express News reported.

Source: tribune.com.pk

[Abbas Ali]

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) maintained on Wednesday that it had not sold its Airbus A310-300 aircraft to a museum in Germany and the one present there still belonged to the national flag carrier.

Does it mean the A310 was owned by PIA when the aircraft was used in Malta for shooting of movie about Operation Entebbe?

PIA has been issuing contradictory statements about this Airbus ever since it left Pakistan.

Abbas

[Amaad Lone]

Who got the 250,000 Euros the the film company paid for using the A310 in the movie???

i am sure the German CEO took the fall for who ever pocketed that money.

[Abdullah]

A masterpiece of fabricated information... by so-called anchor Mr.Mubashir Luqman.

[Abbas Ali]

PAF denies contacting FIA on PIA plane sale issue

LAHORE: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has formally approached the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for forming a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the role of the then Director Procurement Pakistan International Airline (PIA) Air Commodore Imran Akhtar in the sale of an aircraft, The News has learnt.

When contacted, PAF spokesman Air Commodore Syed Muhammad Ali said PAF didn’t contact the FIA regarding the PIA plane sale issue. Sources in the Interior Ministry, however, told this correspondent that the Director General, Air Intelligence of the PAF, has contacted the FIA DG and conveyed his desire to probe the matter through a JIT having the representation of PAF officers.

“It is apprised that the subject investigation is under progress at your esteemed organization in which one of the PAF officers is being alleged for violations. The inquiry is still under progress yet there are media reports that the officer has committed certain violations which is bringing bad name to PAF”, a letter written to the Chief Staff Officer (CSO) to FIA DG Ahmed Mukkarram by Squadron Leader Abid Iqbal, Senior Staff Officer to the Air Intelligence DG, Islamabad, reads.

Titled with, “Case No 84/2016: Investigation on sale of for Air Bus A 310”, the PAF further wrote in the letter that in accordance with PAF Act, 1953, officer is to be tried under PAF Act, therefore, it is proposed that the Ministry of Interior (MOI) may be approached for ordering of Joint Investigation Team (JIT). “Until such time the inquiry may be held in abeyance.”

Furthermore, the senior PAF official also nominated two officers — Wing Commander Nadeem Ajmal Khan, Sector Commander CI (Federal), Squadron Leader Muhammad Hassan, Officer Commanding, Financial Intelligence Unit, PAF, — suggesting FIA make them part of JIT for investigations.

After receiving correspondence from the PAF, the FIA DG sought opinion of investigators of FIA, Lahore. Responding to DG’s letter, the investigators told their chief that only the ministry can form any JIT. “The Air Intelligence DG may please be intimated to approach MOI for the said purpose,” investigators informed their DG.

When contacted, Interior Ministry spokesman Yasir Shakeel told The News that the ministry hasn’t received any correspondence from the FIA about PAF’s letter to the agency as yet. “I have confirmed from the ministry that it hasn’t received anything from FIA regarding PAF's request to form JIT,” the spokesman told The News.

Talking to this correspondent, the recently-appointed FIA DG Bashir Memon said he has taken over the charge only a few days back and doesn’t know much about the issue, but he promised the probe would be completed on merit. "We don’t care who the accused is as the enquiry would be finalised soon and law will take its course," the DG added. .

An internal inquiry of the PIA had found its former Acting CEO Bernd Hildenbrand (a German national), Director Procurement and Logistics (P&L) Air Commodore Imran Akhtar Khan and former Technical Consultant Helmut Bachhofner guilty of "gross violations of rules and regulations, manipulating facts and figures to achieve their ulterior objectives in the sale of a aircraft A-310." The accused, according to the report, had caused a financial loss of over Rs 500 million to the national carrier in the plane sale issue.

After the report and subsequently launch of a probe by FIA, Air Commodore Imran Akhtar Khan, serving with the PIA on deputation, left the national flag carrier and rejoined the PAF. Former Acting CEO Bernd Hildenbrand, who was on Exit Control List (ECL) due to FIA’s probe, was allowed to travel to his country for a few weeks, but he never returned to Pakistan to face the enquiry.

Source: The News

[arshad.altaf]

For the first time an indigenous (Pakistani) name has surfaced. It was visible to the blind that this would not have been possible without involvement of some local high ranking PIA official(s).

Arshad

[Abbas Ali]

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Aviation Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi said that the Airbus A310-300 (AP-BEQ) parked in Leipzig, Germany, is still a PIA property and the issue will be resolved upon completion of legal formalities including completion of enquiry being conducted by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Source: PIA Press Release (September 22, 2017)

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

According to GEO News, PIA is being asked to pay amount of money in millions of rupees as charges for parking airline's Airbus A310-300 (AP-BEQ) at Leipzig Halle Airport, Germany.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

According to a written reply submitted at National Assembly by the Aviation Division:

* It's correct to say that PIA Airbus A310-300 was sold to a museum in Germany with the approval of airline's then acting CEO Bernd Hildenbrand.

* Irregularities have been observed in aircraft sale.

* PIA inquiry found Bernd Hildenbrand involved in violation of rules/regulations.

* Bernd Hildenbrand has been suspended from PIA service.

* FIA is investigating the case and its report is being awaited.

Abbas

[Pakistan-1]

Why can’t they get a special ferry permit and bring the A310 back to Pakistan and be done with it ?

[uzkt01]

Why can’t they get a special ferry permit and bring the A310 back to Pakistan and be done with it ?

It is too expensive to make it airworthy again. Best option is to scrap the aircraft in Germany.

[Abbas Ali]

According to PTV News, today the National Assembly was informed that FIA and a Senate Committee are investigating PIA aircraft fraud case against former German CEO of the airline.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

Discussion/debate on the sale of PIA aircraft at lower price will be part of opposition senators' agenda in Senate Session on October 10, according to news sources.

Abbas

[Abbas Ali]

Today, the National Assembly was informed that PIA neither got money for the aircraft sold to a museum in Germany nor got the aircraft back. FIA is investigating the case.

Questions about usage of the aircraft in film shooting were also raised. The Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Murtaza Javed Abbasi said that then PIA CEO alone cannot do this, other employees of the airline must also have been involved in it and action should be taken against them also. The Deputy Speaker advised FIA to complete its investigation within a month.

Formation of a committee of the National Assembly to investigate the case also has been proposed.

Meanwhile, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman and Opposition Leader Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah today asked PIA officials whether the airline gave aircraft as charity in Germany? The chairman asked National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to submit its report about the issue in a week. The NAB is also asked to investigate who removed name of then acting PIA CEO Bernd Hildenbrand from ECL and allowed him to leave the country.

Abbas

[Amaad Lone]

Whoever got the money from the movie is the crook.

If the aircraft was under the ownership of PIA at the time then PIA should have gotten the money from the movie.

If the Germans got it, then the ex CEO is the crook along with someone in Pakistan.

If some minister got it, then he is the crook.

Not that hard, ask the movie company who did they pay the money to use the aircraft.