HT Digital,
Islamabad, Feb 28: An air hostess named Maryam Raza, employed by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), has reportedly gone missing in Canada, marking the second such incident this year.
According to a report by Dawn, Raza, who has been with PIA for 15 years, did not report for her return flight to Karachi after landing in Toronto on flight PK-782 from Islamabad. When officials checked her hotel room, they discovered her uniform and a note saying ‘Thank you, PIA’.
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Earlier this year, another PIA employee had also disappeared under similar circumstances in Canada. The airline’s spokesperson attributes these incidents to Canada’s lenient immigration policies that provide asylum to anyone entering the country.
Faiza Mukhtar, an air hostess, did not report for a return flight to India from Canada in January, according to a PIA official. Mukhtar was previously suspended for alleged smuggling of mobile phones and foreign currency. In the last year, seven PIA cabin crew members also disappeared in Canada while on duty.
One of these crew members has now settled in Canada and is reportedly advising others on seeking asylum. In 2022, five more crew members disappeared during overseas flights. PIA management is working with Canadian authorities to prevent such incidents. The restructuring of the national carrier has been approved by Pakistan’s caretaker cabinet.
