Pakistan

Pakistan seeks clarification from Bangladesh on harassment of PIA crew, passengers

Bangladeshi intelligence officers reportedly harassing PIA officials for past two months

Web Desk February 26, 2015

Bangladeshi intelligence officers reportedly harassing PIA officials for past two months. PHOTO: REUTERS

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has contacted Bangladesh High Commission, seeking clarification on Bangladeshi security agencies harassing Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) crew and passengers, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tasneem Aslam said on Thursday, Express News reported.

According to PIA sources, Bangladeshi intelligence officers have been harassing PIA officials for the past two months. Yesterday, PIA flight PK-266 was delayed for three hours for security checks.

PIA Station Manager Ali Abbass was also held by the security forces in Bangladesh and was later deported to Pakistan. Several raids have also been conducted on the houses of PIA officials on suspicion of smuggling fake currency.

Read: En route: PIA steward arrested with 4.5kg hashish

The aviation authority’s steward, identified as Irfanullah Shah, was arrested in possession of 4.5 kilogrammes of hashish concealed in his bag.

An ANF official, who requested not to be named, told The Express Tribune that the suspect, who hailed from Swabi, has been serving in PIA as steward for the last eight years. He was arrested outside the departure lounge during routine surveillance.

COMMENTS (11)

Vijay M | 9 years ago | Reply @Jim: Well put !!

Jim | 9 years ago | Reply So what's new? Pakistani planes and pilots are stopped and searched all over the world on suspicion of carrying drugs, contraband, fake currency etc. Your own media had reported this. You reputation even otherwise is terrible across the world, including among your own allies and "taller than mountain friends." You are not even allowed to fly directly to the U.S. Despite all this people like @zara want to wear blinkers and blame others. Go ahead and ban Bangladesh Biman; and all other western airlines too. No one gives a damn. It's not as if other countries want to come to Pakistan or trade with it. Pakistan begs for it. If Pakistan is wiped off the face of the earth tomorrow, no country will miss it.

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Pushtun Voice | 9 years ago | Reply @saad --- why bother going to Pakistan. Buzdil people like you should not leave the safety of your home.

GS@Y | 9 years ago | Reply In PIA's defense, Bangladesh is also caught in a grip of fervent nationalism these days, which has to do with the polarizing policies of Sheikh Hasina's government. And of course, every time Bangladeshis suffer from such paroxysms, Pakistan and everything related to it is targeted in their country. The Bengalis should move on already; it's not like Pakistanis necessarily have any strong feelings about them.

Timorlane | 9 years ago | Reply Why don't we sever ties with these people !! They are always up to some mischief against us And we lost 1999 World Cup match against them and said we lost so our "brothers" could get test status and the brother howled that they avenged 1971 Time to get rid of these "brothers" totally

zara | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistan should give same treatment to biman airlines and any other country's airline that acts this way. Wasnt india creating delhi office issue. Deal with them same way too. Carrying drugs is one thing and here they are harassing, HARASSING, the staff

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Imran Ahsan Mirza: Peoples of Pakistan don’t respect their own country, and no one respect Pakistan and its institutions

Imran Ahsan Mirza | 9 years ago | Reply I wont trust PIA. Their crew do all sorts of criminal activities very much known to public. Bangladeshis are smart enough to pick up all this and interrogating. PIA has become a shameful airline and it is better to disband it completely to reduce any more incidents bringing disrepute to Pakistan.

Saad | 9 years ago | Reply People around the world laugh at PIA. Every other month you have reported incidents about crew smuggling 100 iPhones on a single flight or the Pilot reporting to work intoxicated. These heroin and Hashish incidents are also nothing new for PIA crew. If PIA want's to act as the tough guy they should stop the Dhaka and Chittagong sector. Bangaladeshis will deal with PIA like the rest of the world does. This is the reason I prefer a stopover somewhere else rather than putting my safety in danger for a direct flight through PIA.

Zen | 9 years ago | Reply As usual , the denials and conspiracies starts from.....now!

Ali | 9 years ago | Reply It's not like PIA can not be involved in all these acts. They very well can.

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