LAHORE:
‘Termination from service’ will now be the only punishment for staff of PIA if found involved in smuggling of banned items, the management disclosed.
PIA has taken the extreme step to discourage the crew from smuggling restricted goods or drugs after five of its employees, including two air hostesses, were detained in London last week on the charges.
“The management has decided in principle to dismiss from service with immediate effect those involved in smuggling banned goods abroad or in the country because they are bringing bad name to the PIA and Pakistan. There will be no suspension (from service) or holding of inquiry in such cases anymore,” PIA’s spokesman Aamir Memon said.
“There is a zero tolerance towards breaking law of the land by the PIA crew. They have been told about this as PIA is not going to compromise on such violations,” Mr Memon said.
Last week, authorities at Heathrow airport had detained five PIA crew, including two airhostesses, from a London-Karachi flight PK-788. The customs authorities searched the crew’s luggage for two hours and reportedly recovered around 30,000 pounds and a large quantity of smart phones from it.