Another PIA air hostess has been suspended for allegedly smuggling mobile phones from Dubai. The total number of PIA crew members caught smuggling phones has reached eight.
The PIA stewardess was caught smuggling phones from Abu Dhabi. A PIA spokesperson said that mobile phones were seized from her possession upon her arrival in Lahore from Abu Dhabi. The latest action followed the suspension of five crew members last week after authorities recovered a cache of smartphones from their possession upon return from Dubai.
Two crew members were suspended earlier on similar allegations. The PIA air hostess was on Flight PK-264. Upon her arrival in Lahore, customs officials recovered a number of expensive phones from her possession.
The air hostess was immediately suspended and a show-cause notice was served to her on January 25th. She has been asked to submit a written reply after which the decision will be taken to pursue disciplinary action against her.
Earlier, five employees including two stewardesses were suspended after customs officials recovered 78 smartphones during a routine check at Multan International Airport. The employees were served a show-cause notice on January 22nd.
This is not the first time a PIA official has been caught smuggling expensive phones from outside Pakistan. In October 2024, a PIA flight steward was apprehended at Islamabad Airport upon arrival from Canada after customs officials discovered 16 high-end smartphones strapped to his body. The employee, identified as Faisal Majeed, was caught during a routine customs check on October 24, while disembarking from flight PK-782 from Toronto.
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Customs officials found the phones hidden beneath Majeed’s uniform, indicating an attempt to smuggle the devices into Pakistan. This incident highlights the ongoing issue of high-value item smuggling through airports. Following the discovery, PIA administration immediately issued Majeed a show-cause notice demanding a response within three days. “Your actions have damaged the reputation of PIA,” the notice read, warning that failure to provide an adequate explanation would lead to his termination.