E-Paper | June 18, 2026

Dubai-bound PIA flight lands in Karachi, narcotics recovered

Javed Asghar Published November 4, 2015
comments
Whatsapp Channel
Add Dawn as a trusted source
Google Preferred Source

KARACHI: Narcotics were discovered on a Dubai-bound Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft on Wednesday after the aircraft was instructed to land at Jinnah International Airport.

According to Customs officials, they had received prior information regarding the attempt to smuggle the narcotics aboard PIA flight PK-221.

The aircraft, enroute to Dubai from Lahore. was instructed to land at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.

Read: PIA sacks steward for trying to smuggle mobile phones from UK

Custom officials searched the planed with the aid of sniffer dogs, and discovered 3.1 kilograms heroin concealed in one of the bathrooms. The narcotics were hidden behind the panel sheets.

It is pertinent to mention that this is not the first attempt to smuggle illegal drugs using similar means. The authorities are aware of the method used by the smugglers but have yet to make any arrests.

The narcotics were confiscated by Customs and Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) officials at Karachi airport. An investigation into the incident has been initiated.

Earlier in September, Dawn reported that the management of PIA terminated the service of a flight steward who was caught by United Kingdom authorities at Heathrow airport while trying to smuggle mobile phones through a PIA flight.

PIA crew members have also been arrested in the past for attempting to smuggle narcotics on flights bound for international destinations.

Our readers are at the heart of everything we do.
Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.
Pakistan

Read more

Shame
Nov 04, 2015 07:09pm
That's a shame, concealed in one of the bathrooms looks like inside job!
Recommend 0
Sharique
Nov 04, 2015 07:10pm
Good job by custom guys
Recommend 0
M. Emad
Nov 04, 2015 07:12pm
Few months ago Bangladesh authority banned Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights due to the same reason.
Recommend 0
Khan
Nov 04, 2015 07:12pm
This news is a shame for the whole nation !!!!
Recommend 0
sukhera
Nov 04, 2015 07:13pm
Lahore Custom officials should be suspended for not doing their job. Don't they have K-9 dogs at the airport to checks drugs? If they don't , let them go home. why pay them any salaries?
Recommend 0
Naveed Alam Khattak
Nov 04, 2015 07:15pm
Shame on those people...
Recommend 0
Hamaad
Nov 04, 2015 07:18pm
Corrupt elements are rampant in every field of life. Catch them and give them exemplary punishment. Need efficient, strong and unbiased checks and balances in place.
Recommend 0
turbo
Nov 04, 2015 07:20pm
such a shame...where are we heading!
Recommend 0
ali
Nov 04, 2015 07:22pm
@Shame - wow genious
Recommend 0
Sara Ally Qureshi
Nov 04, 2015 07:23pm
Check the crew or ground staff or who ever had excess to the aircraft.
Recommend 0
Ali
Nov 04, 2015 07:26pm
Those who are involved in this shame-full act, must be punished. Because due such kind of acts, the whole nation is suffering the taunts from all around the world.
Recommend 0
sheryar
Nov 04, 2015 07:27pm
should have let them land in dubai beheading is the only language they learn
Recommend 0
pimpck
Nov 04, 2015 07:28pm
@sukhera put them at the prisons too
Recommend 0
khurram
Nov 04, 2015 07:30pm
@Khan I would rather like to appreciate anti narcotics and custom authorities who proactively foiled this attempt. remember "all thats needed for the evil to succeed is that the good men do nothing". Bad is every where . It is the good that makes the difference. Please try to do good ,give hope instead of adding insult or shame
Recommend 0
AKB
Nov 04, 2015 07:32pm
Very strange that the aircraft had to be instructed to land at Jinnah International Airport. How the narcotics reached Aircraft and not checked earlier?
Recommend 0
Mahmood
Nov 04, 2015 07:35pm
Insider job, no doubt. Ground, maintenance and flight crew must be involved in the conspiracy!
Recommend 0
Must read this..
Nov 04, 2015 07:39pm
All those rotten eggs from PIAC must be thrown out.All inducted by political parties without merit,nepotism,should be screened out.Besides over staff in each dept must be trimmed.Only then you can put PIAC on profit side.
Recommend 0
BAKHTIAR
Nov 04, 2015 07:42pm
Get services of NADRA for identification of culprits from finger prints
Recommend 0
haris
Nov 04, 2015 07:48pm
@Khan The flight was interrupted before it leaves Pakistan Air space and cleared it all. Instead, we should appreciate the works of customs and ANF officials .
Recommend 0
Naeem
Nov 04, 2015 08:08pm
splendid efforts! guys learn to appreciate efforts. which country on the face of the earth has 100% foolproof screening system. Americans can protect smuggling from Mexico despite having the most sophisticated technology. hats off to you custom champs
Recommend 0
Muhammed Ali
Nov 04, 2015 08:11pm
Inside job without saying...someone did not get paid and reported it to the authorities.
Recommend 0
Zak
Nov 04, 2015 08:20pm
Put them through ATC.
Recommend 0
Ahsan Ali Syed
Nov 04, 2015 08:22pm
What a shame. The whole society needs to be cleansed. This should be priority number one of the government. We cannot continue to exist as an honourable nation with such incidences. We have to live with dignity and all rotten eggs in the society must be removed.
Recommend 0
Anonymous
Nov 04, 2015 08:23pm
100% FIA+PIA job!
Recommend 0
Ahsan Ali Syed
Nov 04, 2015 08:29pm
Customs and ANF officials are to be congratulated. Now the culprits need to be punished in an exemplanary manner for bringing a bad name to the country.
Recommend 0
Justice
Nov 04, 2015 08:39pm
Lahore custom and PIA staff are taking bribes, they know Punjab PML-N government will not take any action against them.
Recommend 0
Aussieman
Nov 04, 2015 08:47pm
They should have followedthe trail and caught the person on other hand.
Recommend 0
kamal
Nov 04, 2015 08:52pm
Only arrested?? We want proof that the culprits are serving log prison sentences.
Recommend 0
A. Ali
Nov 04, 2015 08:52pm
Customs had prior information about this smuggling yet the PIA flight 221 managed to fly from Lahore to Dubai. human err or deliberate let. again, its PIA who brought shame for us. and how they would have taken it out of Dubai airport needs to be scrutinized or not ?. how they always sneak in banned stuff for UAE/Saudia bound flights?. whereas, Pakistanis are beheaded in Saudia for drug smuggling and it happens more or less every fortnight. PIA under study for being privatized, whereas current PIA/their flight staff is always caught in theft, smuggling, stealing, breaking regulations in Jeddah, UK, USA, Heathrow etc, etc. I am not sure whether this is being done on purpose and this special "crew" is later exited through back door channels to haste privatization of PIA or its last hurrah of PIA Staff to plunder as much as possible before its privatized. this is surely looking a complete drama. do we need an open inquiry in this issue on daily progress basis, or we don need ?.
Recommend 0
Dr. Khan
Nov 04, 2015 08:57pm
Problem remains the same; who planted it in the toilet will never reach hands of ANF or other agencies. Mafias within; scratching each other's back! What a shame for ground staff and PIA crew... Must unearth the culprits.
Recommend 0
Riaz
Nov 04, 2015 09:06pm
@Khan Though I am in complete agreement and sympathy with you, let us not deny the glaring reality, there is no such thing as shame in Pakistan. In a culture bereft of ethics and morals, the word shame is completely out of place. Pakistan's ex- prime minister felt no shame when he stooped so low that he stole a necklace given to the poor and helpless flood victims by the Turkish first lady overwhelmed by a sense of sheer grief.
Recommend 0
Meethi Mithai
Nov 04, 2015 09:22pm
I'd have arrested the pilot of the plane since him bring the captain responsibility lies on him
Recommend 0
anony
Nov 04, 2015 09:26pm
Name these crew people who bring shame to our country.
Recommend 0
Daood
Nov 04, 2015 09:40pm
And then they complain when Saudis cut their head off. This should be implemented in Pakistan as well.
Recommend 0
Naxalite
Nov 04, 2015 10:03pm
@sukhera The Govt should be suspended instead for non-merit appointments at the Top.
Recommend 0
MK
Nov 04, 2015 10:22pm
Bravo! ANF, custom officials.
Recommend 0
Gob Smacked
Nov 04, 2015 10:36pm
I'm shocked that the drugs were hidden on the plane. It could have been something far more sinister. WHAT assurances do we have as the travelling public????
Recommend 0
Salman
Nov 04, 2015 10:43pm
Unacceptable. If one can plant narcotics in the bathroom of a plane (no doubt PIA maintainence crew needs to be queried), so can more dangerous items such as explosives. The perpetrators need exemplary punishment. Great job to thwart the smugglers however.
Recommend 0
AW
Nov 04, 2015 10:52pm
Do not equate mobile phones with Drugs. There is no law against mobile phones so it cannot be called smuggling. Whereas, drugs is a bad scenario and since they were concealed behind bathroom panels seems like PIA itself was involved in this crime. The management of PIA needs to be charged with the crime since it is their job to manage the employees of the airline
Recommend 0
azkhan71
Nov 04, 2015 10:59pm
Great work by custom people and SHAME to PIA
Recommend 0
Junaid
Nov 04, 2015 11:11pm
Drugs and illegal weapons are also smuggled by Pakistan Railway throughout the country but no action has yet been taken. Railway police and minister knows it but they are also part of it. Inside jobs are going on and country is on the verge of total destruction. Drugs smuggling via national airline PIA is nothing new. A status quo mafia that is the beneficiary of status quo, controls everything in PIA and permits criminals to use this airline for illegal activities.
Recommend 0
A common pakistani
Nov 04, 2015 11:16pm
Is it that easy to smuggle drugs in UAE? must be a drugs addicted nation
Recommend 0
The Master
Nov 04, 2015 11:17pm
If drugs were found in one of the rooms in my house,as head of the family Iwould be arrested so the ceo of PIA should be arrested if they cant find the culprits.
Recommend 0
Raza Ahamd
Nov 04, 2015 11:47pm
@A common pakistani Yes you are right. They should have let go this flight to Dubai and carried the investigation in Dubai itself. There were so many people missed the connecting Flights.
Recommend 0
A common pakistani
Nov 04, 2015 11:56pm
The drugs mafia is not limited to Pakistan only, it is an international plague and curse.
Recommend 0
M Jamal
Nov 04, 2015 11:57pm
There are some good people in Pakistan custom.Thanks to them.
Recommend 0
Masood
Nov 05, 2015 12:00am
FIA, CID,CUSTOM officials should have let go of the flight with officials on the plane, at Dubai they could have caught the recipient. This way the whole network could be apprehended. The custom officials spoiled the game. May be it was a cover-up.
Recommend 0
A common pakistani
Nov 05, 2015 12:12am
Yes this is an international menace. It is deeper and more dangerous than it appears on the surface.
Recommend 0
Sense
Nov 05, 2015 12:20am
Drugs are bad.....agreed but don't try to paint the whole nation black.....that was an organized crime at work.....heroine was smuggled inside the bodies of dead American soldiers but nobody said shame or any other similar words
Recommend 0
Nasr
Nov 05, 2015 01:23am
Why the plane flew in the first place
Recommend 0
hamada
Nov 05, 2015 01:51am
nothing too bad. stuff happens
Recommend 0
Lodhi
Nov 05, 2015 01:58am
Here is my question,if they had prior knowledge of drugs on board this flight,why did they allow the plane to take off? Something is not right here,something smells funny in this story
Recommend 0
Noroz Khan
Nov 05, 2015 02:01am
Don't just blame P.I.A staff for making extra money by illegal means, they are following the foot-steps of our popular leaders. Our President, Prime Ministers and Ministers have been involved in mass corruption and money laundering and some of them are already convicted but they still have important positions and they are enjoying life.
Recommend 0
just a voice
Nov 05, 2015 03:08am
@Raza Ahamd Raza, this is very simple. And it will be proved as such - no one will ever be caught. How strange it is that in today's era nothing will be unearthed about this crime - no footage, no investigation, nada...This is only possible in our country. For those who congratulating the team who caught this - I am sure there are people who may be trying to do their job but I doubt in such a high profile incident 'honesty' and 'sense of duty' played a a role. This is drama.
Recommend 0
Raza
Nov 05, 2015 03:10am
PIA and its staff has become a symbol ofshame to all Pakistanis abroad. I do not know how the staff members are treated abroad by their international peers but I know for sure how Pakistanis are treated by them. Just privatize it as soon as possible and kick out the malicious people in order to bring PIA back as it used to be for 20 years back.
Recommend 0
just a voice
Nov 05, 2015 03:11am
@Sense We are intelligent enough in all walks of life - lets face our problems and fix. It is not about negative thinking or positive thinking. No one will ever be caught in this - This has happened several times which tells about our nation and authorities.
Recommend 0
Lafanga
Nov 05, 2015 03:12am
If they had prior knowledge of drug being smuggled on this particular flight then why did they let it take off from Lahore? Strange.
Recommend 0
A Shah
Nov 05, 2015 03:27am
Every Pakistanis head is bowed with shame
Recommend 0
ABRAHAM Haque
Nov 05, 2015 04:15am
Turbo you are not heading anywhere we are already there
Recommend 0
Next door
Nov 05, 2015 04:48am
Do Pakistan a favor and ban the PIA.
Recommend 0
Riaz Murtaza
Nov 05, 2015 05:01am
PIA and Pakistan Customs people, Keep an eye on these criminal minded people.
Recommend 0
sukhera
Nov 05, 2015 05:07am
@Naxalite There` is no doubt custom officials are aiding the drug dealers to take the drugs out of the country. Custom officials department need to clean its act otherwise send them home. Why we are paying them anyway?
Recommend 0
shereen
Nov 05, 2015 06:31am
Flash back to the eighties.
Recommend 0
MK
Nov 05, 2015 08:11am
Very deep inquiry by sincere personnel needed. They can implant explosive if bribed.
Recommend 0

Most Popular

01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09

Latest Stories

Opinion

Editorial

Spoiler alert
17 Jun, 2026

Spoiler alert

AFTER the temporary peace deal between the US and Iran is physically signed in Geneva on Friday, an arduous process...
Storm-tested cities
17 Jun, 2026

Storm-tested cities

THE deaths caused by the latest spell of monsoon rains in KP and Punjab illustrate how quickly severe weather can...
Chakwal tragedy
17 Jun, 2026

Chakwal tragedy

A NINE-year-old girl is dead because a Punjab Crime Control Department gunman mistook her family’s car for a...
A new deal
Updated 16 Jun, 2026

A new deal

AFTER three and a half months of war between US-Israel and Iran and an acrimonious temporary ceasefire, a genuine...
Charter of economy
16 Jun, 2026

Charter of economy

NO one expected the PTI to accept the government’s invitation to sign a charter of economy; just as few expected...
Hostage seamen
16 Jun, 2026

Hostage seamen

SOME 50 days on, 11 Pakistani nationals are still in Somali pirates’ captivity. Their appeals to the Pakistani and...
Dawn News English Podcasts
Subscribe