PIA illegal appointments: Reference filed against ex-aviation adviser, secretary

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed reference against the former aviation adviser Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi and ex-secretary aviation Irfan Elahi over charges of illegal appointments made in the national flag-carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), ARY News reported on Thursday.

The anti-corruption watchdog nominated Mehtab Abbasi, who had also served as a former governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), and Sqn. Ldr (Retd) Muhammad Irfan Elahi in a case related to illegal appointments in PIA.

Musharraf Rasool and Tariq Mehmood Pasha were also among the accused who were nominated in the fresh reference filed by NAB.

According to NAB sources, the reference was filed over illegal appointment of Musharraf Rasool.

The reference was filed in an accountability court by NAB Rawalpindi chapter.

Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi had been appointed as adviser to the prime minister on aviation during PML-N’s tenure in February 2017.

Whereas, Irfan Elahi had been made PIA acting chairman in addition to his assignment as the-then federal secretary of Aviation Division after being named by the board of directors of the national flag-carrier in December 2016. Later, he had stepped down from his post in May 2018.