RAWALPINDI: Two flight stewards associated with the national carrier were sacked on Tuesday after stolen mobile phones were recovered from their hand luggage during a customs check-in at the Heathrow Airport on Monday.

The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) crew members, who have been identified as Mohammad Nadeem Anwar and Saima Butt, were detained by the British police for investigation after the mobile phones were found to be stolen.

A PIA spokesperson said both crew members were supposed to operate PIA flight PK-786 from London to Islamabad on Monday when they were stopped by Heathrow Airport security who recovered the mobile phones from their hang luggage.

He said both individuals were detained by the police, who launched an investigation and found all the mobile phones to be stolen. However, the number of mobile phones seized by the security officials was not known, the spokesperson said.

He said the crew members were not allowed to operate flight PK-786. He said that in view of their detention by law enforcement authorities the services of both crew members were terminated by the PIA, which follows a zero tolerance policy.

Termination letters have been issued to both crew members by the concerned authorities. When asked, the spokesperson said he was unaware whether the two individuals have been released by the UK authorities or were still being detained.

Published in Dawn, October 14th , 2015

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