RAWALPINDI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has dismissed two of its employees after they were caught smuggling mobile phones from Canada to Pakistan.
A PIA spokesperson confirmed that both employees, an air hostess and a senior flight steward, were fired after a detailed investigation.
The first employee, a woman from Multan, was apprehended by customs authorities in October last year after five mobile phones were found in her possession upon her return from Toronto. She failed to provide a satisfactory explanation during the inquiry.
In a separate incident, a senior flight steward from Lahore was found with five mobile phones upon arriving at Alama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore. After an inquiry and a show-cause notice, he was dismissed immediately. He was also instructed to return his PIA ID card and airport access.
PIA has made it clear that it will not tolerate any violations of the law.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) has addressed concerns about stray dogs in the landside area of Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport. After a video showing stray dogs circulated on social media, the PAA explained that the landside area is open and attracts dogs due to nearby neighborhoods. However, the airside is secure with fencing and 24/7 monitoring. The PAA has reached out to the Edhi Foundation to help manage the situation and has urged local authorities to take action to prevent stray dogs from entering the airport premises.