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A crew member on a Pakistan International Airlines flight from Islamabad to Toronto was fined for traveling without a passport, according to Pakistan’s Geo News.
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The incident occurred on March 15 and was reported on Sunday.
The attendant was fined $200 for negligence and landing in Toronto without a passport, according to the outlet.
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A source who works at PIA denied that the steward was attempting to stay in Canada and claim political asylum, saying she inadvertently left the passport at Karachi airport and planned to return to Pakistan. The steward was able to return using general declaration documents.
The incident, however, recalled attempts by Pakistan Airlines crew members to go into hiding after landing in Canada.
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Two members abandoned their post this year, while at least seven PIA crew members went missing in Canada in 2023, according to the Pakistani newspaper Dawn.
On March 1, PIA crew member Jibran Baloch went missing ahead of a return flight to Pakistan from Toronto Pearson. Less than a week earlier, Maryam Raza left a note in her hotel room that read “Thank You, PIA” alongside her uniform before going into hiding, according to Dawn. Raza had reportedly worked at the airlines for 15 years
The disappearances were reportedly motivated by an intention to immigrate to Canada.
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According to the UNHCR, Canada accepts “if you are fleeing your country because you fear persecution or risk to your life.”
“To apply for asylum, you must be physically present in Canada or be seeking entry into the country at a point of entry (airport, land border or seaport).”
A PIA spokesperson told Dawn a crew member who decamped after landing in Canada years ago has assisted others get settled in the country. The spokesperson said the airlines is working with Canadian authorities to prevent crew members from sneaking away.
Amid a backdrop of political instability, Pakistanis have grown increasingly cash-strapped in recent years, with the country’s inflation rate reaching nearly 35 per cent on Friday.
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