Business

PIA terminates five cabin crew members over smuggling attempt

The crew was detained in UK for questioning on suspicion of smuggling mobiles phones and currency in London on Monday

Our Correspondent June 09, 2015

PHOTO: REUTERS

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Tuesday terminated five of its cabin crew members who were detained in the United Kingdom for trying to smuggle mobile phones and foreign currency.

While the UK Customs authorities had released PIA employees who returned to Islamabad on Tuesday morning, the management took the extreme step based on its own investigation.

"We will not spare anyone. They violated the rules and were carrying things which shouldn't be with them," said a PIA official.

Read: PIA's smuggling problem deepens as three crew members detained in UK

The crew had been detained in London on Monday morning for questioning on suspicion of smuggling mobiles phones and currency just before PIA flight PK-788 was due to take off for Karachi.

Authorities had initially stopped the 14-member crew, but detained only five airhostesses and stewards.

COMMENTS (9)

Irtaza | 9 years ago | Reply Why not Altaf Hussain? isnt he inovolve in money laundering why dosent he get caught? what about barclays bank they were involved in a record rigging of fluctuationg currencies?

Jim | 9 years ago | Reply Great going, Pakistan! Yet another fantastic achievement by a country that was involved in spot-fixing, ball-biting, chucking, stealing nuclear blue prints, harboring and training terrorists, proliferating (stolen) nuclear technology...besides making up tall stories about winning wars and other great achievements to numerous to mention here. Jiye Jiye Pakistan! Pakistan Paindabad!

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J.Niaz | 9 years ago | Reply Their names and photos should be posted in all PIA offices under a banner titled SHAME. Maybe the other hostesses and stewards will now look after the passengers' needs.

Nida | 9 years ago | Reply These crooks are not fired because they smuggled, they are fired cuz they got caught. How dare they got caught???

Saleem | 9 years ago | Reply Termination drama. They are very likely well connected and soon will have jobs in another government department. What a country!

Burki | 9 years ago | Reply Don't worry, they'll run off to Supreme court and will get reinstated in few days.

shah | 9 years ago | Reply Why is this an extreme step ? They were engaged in criminal activity and brought shame to the country. Getting fired is legitimate for them.

Mahmood Usman | 9 years ago | Reply I wonder how which pressure will there be on PIA Management and Board from the political corridor to reinstate them, may be in other sections of PIA

Saleem | 9 years ago | Reply These people bring shame not only to PIA but also to the country. Their employment should be terminated without any benefits. And this policy must be enforced across the board.

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