Over Rs2m worth of gold nose pins recovered from PIA air hostess

PIA spokesperson refutes smuggling claims, says air hostess handed in contraband herself at Islamabad airport

RAWALPINDI: Three-hundred and eighty grams of gold nose pins were recovered from a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) air hostess who was allegedly trying to smuggle them overseas at the Islamabad airport on Tuesday.

The items worth over Rs2 million was found from the national-flag carrier's staffer during check-in for a UK-bound flight at the New Islamabad International Airport.

According to sources, the Airport Security Force (ASF) staff barred the air hostess to proceed and handed her over to customs for investigation.

Items confiscated, she was allowed to board the flight to Birmingham on PIA flight 791 following questioning.

'Suspended' PIA air hostess 'manages' to travel on Toronto flight, goes missing

PIA Spokesperson Mashood Tajwar told The Express Tribune that the air hostess asked the customs at check-in if she could take the pins.

Once they refused to let her take it with her, he added, she herself handed it in and proceeded to board the flight.

The national flag-carrier has often been mired in controversies when it comes to its cabin crew. Last year, an air hostess who was barred from traveling on international routes, went missing in Canada.