BKIA porter returns passenger’s wallet with Rs360k

Father of six says he first spotted the wallet lying in the arrival lounge and later a man searching for it outside

PESHAWAR: A passenger at Bacha Khan International Airport (BKIA) was astonished and relieved after an honest porter at the airport’s arrival lounge returned his lost wallet with foreign currency worth Rs0.36million at the arrival lounge.

According to details, the BKIA had a busy Saturday morning after three flights arrived nearly simultaneously in the morning.



Since the airport is undergoing expansion work, the arrival lounge was full of passengers. Some were queued up at the FIA counter to get their passports stamped while others were busy collecting their luggage at the carousel.

Officials stated that a passenger Alamzeb, who had arrived from England via Dubai, lost his wallet containing around Rs 360,000 (£2,700) while collecting his luggage amidst the rush.

“I was collecting baggage of another passenger when I  saw a wallet lying on the floor of the arrival lounge,” said porter Dyar Khan.

A father of six children from Akbar Pura district of Nowshera, Dyar said that he handed over the wallet to his supervisor since he was busy collecting luggage of another passenger. Despite being pressed for time, Dyar asked his supervisor to open the wallet to ensure that all the items inside the wallet were recorded. While inspecting the contents of the wallet, some foreign currency was found.

“There was no information inside [about the owner of the wallet],” Dyar lamented.

“I went outside carrying bags of the other passenger.”

When he returned to the lounge, he saw a man frantically pacing outside the lounge asking porters and officials if they had seen his wallet.



“I stopped and asked the man if I could help him,” Dyar said. Noting that passengers could not return to the arrival lounge once they have left the building, Dyar said he explained the situation to the airport security staff posted at the door and requested them to allow Alamzeb to enter the lounge.

Alamzeb was allowed to enter the building after going through a security check.

“We had to verify [if he was the owner of the wallet],” Dyar said, adding that the supervisor Wilayat Shah and other officials of the Civil Aviation Authority asked the passenger several questions about the wallet. Once satisfied that Alamzeb was indeed the owner of the wallet, the officials handed it over to him.

Asked whether he ever thought of pocketing the wallet, Dyar said he had been working for the past 17 years and had never earned money through unfair means.

“It was a huge amount for a man like me since I hardly make ends meet for my family, but I will never compromise on honesty,” Dyar told The Express Tribune.

His superiors have promised an appreciation certificate for the honest porter.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2017.