French court throws PIA stewards in jail for two years for smuggling drugs

PARIS: A French court on Tuesday sentenced two stewards of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to two years each in prison in drug smuggling case.

In its verdict, the court ruled that after the completion of jail term both officials, Tanweer Gulzar and Amir Moeen will be deported.

The court also barred them from visiting France for five years.

On March 10, French authorities detained Gulzar and Moen after drugs were recovered from Gulzar’s possession in a PIA aircraft in Paris.

Both stewards were also suspended by PIA after starting an investigation against them.

The media reports further stated that on March 11, French authorities raided a hotel in Paris, where the officials of PIA were staying, and investigated the whole crew of flight PK-749 and arrested one more official.

Furthermore, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) asked Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Cheif Executive Officer (CEO) Musharraf Rasool why the aircraft was not checked thoroughly before its flight to Paris.

The secretary aviation also asked the CEO PIA to send the response of four departments-customs, Anti-Narcotics Force, PIA staff, Airport Security-that check every aircraft before it takes off.

Meanwhile, Airports Security Force (ASF) Director General Major General Ali Abbas Haider said that the matter was being investigated by the ASF.

He further said that ASF was not directly involved with the prevention of drug trafficking nor did it have anything to do with specific areas of aeroplanes such as cargo compartment and flight kitchen.