Supermodel Ayyan held for attempting to fly out with $500,000

E-Paper | March 18, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Customs officials at Benazir Bhutto International Airport on Saturday detained Pakistani supermodel Ayyan for attempting to carry US $500,000 abroad. The amount was hidden in her luggage.

Ayyan, 21, was reportedly booked to travel on a flight to Dubai this morning. Customs officials recovered US $500,000 from her luggage before she could board the plane.

The attempt falls under money laundering as customs regulations do not permit travelling with such a large, undeclared amount.

Customs authorities registered a case of money laundering against her and investigation into the incident has started.

Ayyan will be held at Adiala jail pending investigation and a bail plea.

Model, singer, multi-millionaire?

Super model Ayyan has been one of the most widely recognised faces in Pakistan's modelling industry, although in recent years her career has shifted towards producing music.

Major claim to fame: being Ufone and Magnum’s brand ambassador.
At the Lux Style Awards (LSA) in 2011 she was one of the nominees for Best Model (Female) along with Rabia Butt, Mehreen Syed, Nooray Bhatti and Cybil Chowdhry. She was nominated a number of times in future LSAs as well.
Ayyan also did a campaign for Sunsilk which famously featured her in a hijab.
In 2014 Ayyan tried her hand at singing, releasing a song titled ‘You and I.’ The song wasn’t exactly a hit, and the follow-up album was similarly forgettable.

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DNA

Mar 14, 2015 01:26pm

What else was expected?

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Urdu Speaking Gola

Mar 14, 2015 01:27pm

why is anyone surprised that it is legit money. She should have moved it abroad like Pakistani politicians do.

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white rose

Mar 14, 2015 01:30pm

It IS money laundering... Remember Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's case while leaving India for Pakistan?

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osman

Mar 14, 2015 01:35pm

good for her. fame got to her head. gentlemen never get your ego take over your consciousness.

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Toxic

Mar 14, 2015 01:37pm

May the justice prevails, she should get fare investigation on why she was travelling with such a huge amount of money, and gets the maximum punishment. There should also be investigation on the source of this money. As there was similar case against a famous singer Mr Rahat Fateh Ali, which I don't remember any decision or trial on him. These bog shots get away easily by some big boss's phone call or heavy bribes.

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usman

Mar 14, 2015 01:38pm

Now the whole of Pakistan will wonder how she got that much money.

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usman

Mar 14, 2015 01:39pm

The money belonged to her and her only. lets not make a fuss on why she was carrying so much money. might be she wanted to get out of this chaotic country and live a better life somewhere else so must be her life savings

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Kamal Pasha.

Mar 14, 2015 01:40pm

Everybody is keeping money overseas that includes the ministers also. Why this incident is making news?

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Roopesh

Mar 14, 2015 01:43pm

This is money laundering. Try flying out of US with more than US$10000 cash

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Zaida Parvez

Mar 14, 2015 01:47pm

The monied citizens are leaving Pakistan in droves with their money.

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Salman

Mar 14, 2015 01:53pm

@usman she's most welcome to leave this 'chaotic country' but without defrauding it of its due on whatever money she was trying to leave with. If she's so honest and 'inqalabi' she should have transferred the money through banks.

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Nas

Mar 14, 2015 01:55pm

We have Culprits in every corner. I need to know how she managed to change Pak Rs into $ as per article she was caught with $. where no money exchanges will change more then 10k$ to 20k$ if i remember correctly. Without SBP knowledge. Man oh Man Life is just so easy for some.

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Surinder Saini

Mar 14, 2015 02:06pm

This the problem with people when they are flying , then they feign ignotance about rules,you can not carry more than 10000 dollars or equivalent when traveling, remember famous incident of Shah Rukh in NewYork when he cried horse in the name of Khan he was caught travelling with more than 25000 dollars in his luggage

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Imran

Mar 14, 2015 02:07pm

Most pakistanies are so sympathetic to a pretty face or a mullah justifying their crime with every excuse in the book . And then they wonder why law and order is a big issue in Pakistan.

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Abdullah

Mar 14, 2015 02:09pm

very sad

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akram

Mar 14, 2015 02:16pm

If its her money than its no ones business.

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Mar 14, 2015 02:17pm

@Kamal Pasha. Because the channel she used for transferring of money is illegal. Its a different question, which law in Pakistan is accountable as all the big fish in Pakistan break laws on daily basis with hardly any consequence of it.

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Kamal Pasha.

Mar 14, 2015 02:24pm

@Roopesh, No it is not. Pakistan do not have exchange control act since longtime.

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feroz

Mar 14, 2015 02:25pm

How can she fly out with half of Pakistan's GDP???

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Kamran

Mar 14, 2015 02:38pm

Unfortunate but well done by the authorities. No one should be above the law and she should pay for her crime.

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Love Pakistan

Mar 14, 2015 02:41pm

@feroz was it an attempted joke?

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zak

Mar 14, 2015 02:45pm

Guess she does not have any expert advising her how to handle her money.

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usman

Mar 14, 2015 02:48pm

@Kamal Pasha Pakistan does have exchange control act. you are not allowed to carry more than Rs5000 out of Pakistan

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Sab Se Pehle Pakistan

Mar 14, 2015 02:50pm

5 lakh dollars is equal to 5+ crore rupees. Where in the world she got all this money? Is she famous, never heard of her.

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N.S

Mar 14, 2015 03:26pm

@Sab Se Pehle Pakistan Any super model charges about 1-3 crore for any big budget TV commercial.

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L.Ahmad

Mar 14, 2015 03:31pm

She was not famous before but now she is.

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Dark Angel

Mar 14, 2015 03:37pm

No matter how beautiful she is or no matter how rich you are - you have no right to break the law of the land - in this case she has no right to take out money earned or gifted by her client whatever illegally. She must now listen to the music carefully and closely in a closed room - ofcourse.

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amir

Mar 14, 2015 03:57pm

Supermodel Ayyan?? Who is she?

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Zubaida khan

Mar 14, 2015 04:00pm

@Roopesh actually you can fly out of US with any amount. But if you fly in with mire than 10,000 then you have to declare it or pay a 30% tax on it.

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SHIRAZ

Mar 14, 2015 04:15pm

I am not surprised about USD 500,000 rather about the channel she tried to use to transfer the money out of Pakistan. Depriving the national cache of its due share is one of the reasons why a country whose citizens can afford to own and carry USD 500,000 is still burried under a pile of heavy debt. But do in Rome as Romans do. Still, some people of character and integrity are performing their collective national duty, keeping the country on its foot. Pakistan Customs officials could have released her, bribe, graft, whatever you would like to call it but, they did the right job. I hope she will be punished for the crime. But USD 500,000 are quite enough to bail her out and I wonder how many more USD 500,000 she owns? By the way, I have never heard of her, who is she? I am not joking. And yes, I do live on earth and pretty well aware of what happens here everyday.

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Abu.Ashhad

Mar 14, 2015 04:53pm

what is supermodel??

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MRS

Mar 14, 2015 05:02pm

@usman She could have used banking channels to transfer this money. Its illegal to carry more than $10,000/-

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Shafiq khan

Mar 14, 2015 05:04pm

@DNA I can not believe that she has not annoyed some big wig along the line. Otherwise one who has that kind of money would know how to take it out of the country. She could have many advisers to do the job properly. The authorities must show that their hands are clean.

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Swaran singh

Mar 14, 2015 05:08pm

Keep Ayann in the prison to make an example for all those who are indebting Pakistan's future generations. Let the laws of the Republic prevail. Don't let her out.

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M.Saeed

Mar 14, 2015 05:09pm

She is a Dubai born model of unconfirmed nationality. She might have earned the money legally in business because such amounts are just chicken-feed in those ruthlessly rich Gulf countries. Imagine a Qatari Prince on an illegal hunting visit to Pakistan having 3 falcons which were confiscated by KP Government and released to the open. Each of the tree falcons was priced about 250,000 Dollars !

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Loimashar

Mar 14, 2015 05:15pm

Hats off to the custom officials in Islamabad.

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dr vimal

Mar 14, 2015 05:46pm

She creates music and now will face it too.

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dr vimal

Mar 14, 2015 05:49pm

she is so beautiful. let her go

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saj

Mar 14, 2015 05:52pm

@usman If its hers, fine, but you need to declare it when travelling. The rule applies to all when carrying over a certain limit.

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Harmony

Mar 14, 2015 05:57pm

@M.Saeed - That's not the point...carrying that amount of sum without declaring to customs is a crime!

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Vakas

Mar 14, 2015 06:01pm

Only 500k USD?

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dawn

Mar 14, 2015 06:22pm

She is one of many Pakistanis flying out with fortunes from the country.Are these officials working hard enough?

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MHamza

Mar 14, 2015 06:28pm

@Sab Se Pehle Pakistan Come on she is the Top model..

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Mustafa

Mar 14, 2015 06:31pm

She could have just used a cash card and have money transferred on to it here and have it withdrawn in Dubai from any ATM that accepts the card company. Simples. If she had told me, she would be sitting in Dubai with her money, and I could have been partying with the small percentage of that money. All safe, everybody happy. Silly girl.

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Mar 14, 2015 06:31pm

@Zubaida khan one has to declare - in or out.

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Ehsan

Mar 14, 2015 06:45pm

Why would you do something so silly

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Hashim Khan

Mar 14, 2015 06:47pm

@feroz Pakistans official GDP is $150 Billion. There are more rich people in Pakistan than any other third world country. Unofficial GDP is much higher. This is a fact very evident when you go to Pakistan. The way expensive restaurants, houses, cars, jewelry, high end fashion sells, it's very telling.

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Ali (CA)

Mar 14, 2015 06:58pm

So the politicians are already in action

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Weirdity

Mar 14, 2015 07:18pm

Can Pak models make half a mil by modeling ?

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man

Mar 14, 2015 07:20pm

who says pakistan and india are poor countries and lack foreign exchange.......this shows they are rich and export foreighn exchange......day time loot of country ....money

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Zak

Mar 14, 2015 07:32pm

Why she carrying like this. As model she must be earning this amount. But in pakistan, she can transfer $ 50,000 per week abroad, through Bank officially. It will take her 2 and half months to transfer. Maybe she buy apartment in Dubai for investment. Good move.

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Life

Mar 14, 2015 07:55pm

If she is a Super Model she might have this much money. She might not have paid tax on it therefore she wanted to smuggle it. She may not have right connections to do this or she might be doing this on a bad advice otherwise she could have taken this money out easily. Last but not the least, she might be a victim.

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Kash

Mar 14, 2015 07:58pm

@Zubaida khan no you don't. You declare over 10k with proof that this is legit money and not money laundering. Tax onlu on money earned in US.

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NASR

Mar 14, 2015 08:02pm

Crime under the Garb of Beauty. Very old Fashioned

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Irfan

Mar 14, 2015 08:11pm

What was Rehman Maliks brother doing with her ?

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B R chawla

Mar 14, 2015 08:11pm

Such a pretty face. She deserves more than $ 50,000. Let her keep the money and a reputation of a super model. It is her hard earned money after all. Do not be that mean.

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usman

Mar 14, 2015 08:14pm

@Salman yes she should have been smart enough to transfer the money through other means rather carrying herself @MRS yes 10,000 $ was the previous limit now.it's only 5k usd per person @SAJ yes that's the rule and you are not wrong about it one should do that but then again I am not sure if you are aware of it but $ cash & gold transfers through our costom officials each day by passing all the great rules of this country

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Asif

Mar 14, 2015 08:28pm

@Toxic . I wish !!!! You know in pakistan nothing will come out . I am wondering who is behind all this money???

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event horizon

Mar 14, 2015 09:04pm

@feroz This is a typical comment by someone who has had money for the first time. Beware Pakistan, symbol of poverty and malnutrition (India) is rich now. We heard similar tone from Indians in 1998 when India performed nuclear test. Hollow. Cheap. Low.

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irfan

Mar 14, 2015 09:11pm

@akram people like you do not give such lame arguments , when it comes to follow international rule . Even at British immigration , you cannot carry more than 10,000 Pounds , even if you are a billionaire.

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Masood Khan

Mar 14, 2015 09:13pm

@Kamal Pasha. " Why this incident is making news?" Because she got caught and she is a model.

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Syed Hassan Naqvi

Mar 14, 2015 09:17pm

@usman Then she should have taken the legal route. We have banking channels open doing real time electronic transfers or issuing banking instruments.

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khanm

Mar 14, 2015 09:22pm

@akram. How do you know it is her money?

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ZAK

Mar 14, 2015 09:47pm

$500,000 is a lot of money , only here.

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Nasir

Mar 14, 2015 09:52pm

She is a model - NOT a super model , please get your facts right

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Arif Aslam Khan

Mar 14, 2015 09:53pm

Ayan, as mentioned here, is 21 but how she released a song in 2001 which wasnt a hit? did she do that when she was 11? Also we see her in Ufone ads since 2005 !

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sreejesh

Mar 14, 2015 09:55pm

Slap adequate fine and let her go.Don't jail her because it might have happened due to her ignorance.It is the duty of government to promote financial literacy and this is the opportunity for finance department to promote legal financial transactions only inside Pakistan.

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ahmed

Mar 14, 2015 10:08pm

Good job agencies.... but she must not be an Elite. If she was, she would have easily gone through. But she got arrested, that means she's not wealthy nor she has resources. Put her in jail !!!

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ahmed

Mar 14, 2015 10:08pm

@white rose That was Rahat's earned money and it was wayyyy less than half a million US dollars, please, no comparison.

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ahmed

Mar 14, 2015 10:09pm

Her fault is that she's not rich, that's it. That money does not bring to her most likely.

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Melodious

Mar 14, 2015 10:41pm

@zak why don't you offer your services instead of trying to be Pakistan's foreign policy expert

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Sridhar

Mar 14, 2015 10:45pm

Why are we surprised? The scourge of money laundering and secret foreign accounts is a plague that affects almost all countries, including India and Pakistan. OECD estimates that $39 trillion is the amount that has been illegally stashed away. Otherwise how can you explain the comfortable foreign sojourns of Musharraf, Bhuttos, Sharifs and the rest. A Pakistani friend of mine who lived in Frankfurt tells me how often he had to drive his relatives and friends from Pakistan to deposit money in European banks. And my friend and his relatives are not even from among the super rich.

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Parvez

Mar 14, 2015 11:26pm

Whats the story behind the story ?

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Ahmed Awaiz

Mar 14, 2015 11:49pm

Really nice to see that law is being enforced evenhandedly...at least at the face of it. In the past such personalities would have been able to sneak through our security that applies rules differently when it comes to VIPs. The amount legitimately earned or illegally, the fact is that no country in the world would let you transfer this kind of amount in cash. Even in banking channel, it might be difficult these days.

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rizwan

Mar 15, 2015 12:12am

Laws should be respected!If you fly out of Saudi Arabia and are carrying more than 60,000 Riyals you need to declare!Ayaan is in big trouble!!!

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concerned_Cit

Mar 15, 2015 12:14am

Punish her as per the law please.

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mohammadali

Mar 15, 2015 12:27am

This must not be her first time to carry so much money.

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M. Malik

Mar 15, 2015 12:33am

She'll soon be singing the blues!

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fida sayani USA

Mar 15, 2015 01:27am

@usman So why not do a official transfer through bank. Definitely the origin of the money is questionable or maybe she is a courier.

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Naeem Sajjad

Mar 15, 2015 01:49am

@usman Brother you are unaware of the matter,no one is interfering in her personal life rather it is the matter of law ie was the money she carrying white or black and it is the obligation of custom officials to make sure that no money laundering is being carried out.

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Bea

Mar 15, 2015 01:56am

@usman really live savings? where would a 21year old get that much money from and i am not sure she is 21 she looks a lot older then that.

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Bea

Mar 15, 2015 02:00am

@akram it is if shes smuggling it out of the country has this woman never heard of these placed people put money in and you get a card you put in a wall that gives you money any time night or day and you can use the same card anywhere in the world if you have an account with this place called a BANK where normal people keep money.

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muhammad ahmed khan

Mar 15, 2015 02:00am

there are reports that a politicians was with her ...

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Bea

Mar 15, 2015 02:05am

@Arif Aslam Khan shes 42 going on 21.

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Whatashame

Mar 15, 2015 02:31am

Her agent said $1 million Dollars But Customs found $500,000. $250,000 was turned in to FIA,but the Govt Officially received only $500 Dollars.

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lafanga

Mar 15, 2015 02:59am

The real question is. How many times politicians have taken this or greater amount of money out of Pakistan without any hassle?

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BeFair

Mar 15, 2015 03:23am

Just fine her and let her go on with her life. If we were to make an example for others, or bring law into action, then I am afraid we will not be doing justice to her. All these politicians and bureaucrats when they go abroad - we must be fools not to think they have 'dollars' in their luggage. Her customs contact might have betrayed her for a better deal, perhaps.

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anwar siddique

Mar 15, 2015 03:52am

Recall a few years ago when Karzia's 1/2 brother showed up in Dubai with 70 million in US dollars in about 20 suitcases. Customs looked at the money and let him go. They could not hold him. 500,000 is peanuts!

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tahir

Mar 15, 2015 04:35am

@usman maybe u have never travelled abroad. .if u had u would have known that u can carry a certain amont of money with &also have u declare money above certain limit.

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Razi

Mar 15, 2015 04:57am

So our foreign exchange reserve is up by $ 500K.

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BigBoss

Mar 15, 2015 05:14am

@usman which world are you living in my friend, this is her 2 month ki kamai.

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lucky

Mar 15, 2015 05:38am

@Z Ms. Zubiada is correct my friend. You don't have to declare anything when you are flying out of US. Not that it matters or makes any difference, my opinion is based on vast prolific experience traveling in/out of US

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Aurangzeb

Mar 15, 2015 07:18am

I'm not surprised everyone is doing it!

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rana1

Mar 15, 2015 07:27am

@usman ....she could and should have used a compliant way of transfering money e.g moneygram e.t.c

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Jason

Mar 15, 2015 08:07am

Supermodel??? How come no ones heard her name before then?

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NASR

Mar 15, 2015 10:39am

@L.Ahmad Yes, heaps of money can make anyone well known in today's material world

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omar

Mar 15, 2015 12:35pm

@usman a 21 year old with half a million dollars in luggage.You don't find anything unusual with that!

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salmasa

Mar 15, 2015 02:03pm

@Abu.Ashhad Its a term coined in the west for a group of top models that were more famous and expensive than the others, this was back in early 1990s, now every loser is called a super model.

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salmasa

Mar 15, 2015 02:07pm

@Arif Aslam Khan No Ayan jouned Ufone campaing rwo years ago, before her it was a TVactress called Mehreen that was doing them.

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salmasa

Mar 15, 2015 02:09pm

@Jason She quite popular if you're into fashion and media scene its a small world of theirs and amongst that she is well known.

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UncleSAM

Mar 15, 2015 04:53pm

She is a Pakistani Muslim isn't it?

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Ibrahim Munir

Mar 16, 2015 12:14am

@SHIRAZ 100% Agreed. And as for her you might recognize her from the Ufone Ads, she is the girl who feature in those advertisements.

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testing times

Mar 16, 2015 12:29am

@feroz Nice attempt, your pay masters across the border must be proud.

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Mar 16, 2015 01:35am

We take actions against models and actress for petty things We have no strength to take actions against persons who have taken hundreds of billions dollars away from Pakistan Authorities know and do nothing because they are party to it Regards n enjoy

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ajaz

Mar 16, 2015 08:49am

She was carrying without any fear because khalid malik , Brother of Rehman malik was with her . May be full shift of custom staff changed of which they were expecting

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Ahmad Ali Rafi Ahmad

Mar 16, 2015 09:08am

There are ways to transfer huge amounts but when it's clearly mentioned at all airports to not carry more than such amount everyone should respect that.

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yoni brigades

Mar 16, 2015 11:00am

Interesting to know if she is a US citizen as well...

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Mian Shahid Mehmood

Mar 16, 2015 11:14am

Without denial, the elite of this country are exporting billions of dollar on daily basis to foreign lands but nobody has raised even a single eyebrow. Now as expected, the hammer of law is full on a woman-model-singer who was leaving to Dubai with only 5-lac dollars and look at the media madness.

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Gp65

Mar 16, 2015 11:59am

When Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was caught doing the same thing and taken for questioning by Indian authorities there was a hue and cry in Pakistan. Clearly youhave a different attitude now.

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sadia

Mar 16, 2015 01:00pm

what about billions of Dollars in Swiss banks and investment in gulf countries Justice should be done across the board.

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Alia

Mar 16, 2015 02:53pm

@usman She made that money from Pakistan so obviously we are going to wonder. She needs to respect the laws of this "chaotic" country. Don't you think so? Besides she is a top model here and was living a dream life. Why will she feel the need to run away? No other country will hire her. They have better models. Considering her terrible singing attempts, you will soon see her endorsing other brands here.

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Saad

Mar 16, 2015 02:56pm

@Gp65 No different attitude here. She is in jail and will remain so till she is released on bail.

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Sanj

Mar 17, 2015 12:18am

@usman - If that is the case she can transfer the money from a Pakistani Bank to a foreign bank ? why did she try to smuggle ? May be doesn't want to pay tax?

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zubaida khan

Mar 17, 2015 04:50am

@ajaz customs did not catch her. She caught by ASF.

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zubaida khan

Mar 17, 2015 04:52am

@BeFair so we should just let her go? Why even have a customs or police?

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Atta

Mar 17, 2015 07:34am

Supermodel? Never heard of her.

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Khan Ashraf Khan 9691

Mar 17, 2015 12:46pm

@Irfan you really want to know that ..or are you so naive..

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Haider1

Mar 18, 2015 05:26am

@usman This is incredible what you just wrote..... Nobody was denying her an exit from the country, she was carrying an undeclared amount of foreign currency so big, probably local banks dont have such reserves in cash. And this isnt just pakistan that's making such hue and cry, money laundering worldwide is a crime equivalent of terrorism. All developed countries have the most strictest of laws reserved for such an act. If that was her rightful money, she should've moved it with the proper channels. This was an absolute mockery of all the laws of the land, and credit to the agencies who stopped it in time.

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Haider1

Mar 18, 2015 05:30am

@akram yes it is, its the state's business. The state has every right to know where you got money from. That is how the whole Taxation system works.

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