Dubai-bound PIA flight lands in Karachi, narcotics recovered

E-Paper | May 03, 2026

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.

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Shame

Nov 04, 2015 07:09pm

That's a shame, concealed in one of the bathrooms looks like inside job!

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Sharique

Nov 04, 2015 07:10pm

Good job by custom guys

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M. Emad

Nov 04, 2015 07:12pm

Few months ago Bangladesh authority banned Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights due to the same reason.

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Khan

Nov 04, 2015 07:12pm

This news is a shame for the whole nation !!!!

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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?

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Naveed Alam Khattak

Nov 04, 2015 07:15pm

Shame on those people...

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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.

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turbo

Nov 04, 2015 07:20pm

such a shame...where are we heading!

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ali

Nov 04, 2015 07:22pm

@Shame - wow genious

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Sara Ally Qureshi

Nov 04, 2015 07:23pm

Check the crew or ground staff or who ever had excess to the aircraft.

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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.

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sheryar

Nov 04, 2015 07:27pm

should have let them land in dubai beheading is the only language they learn

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pimpck

Nov 04, 2015 07:28pm

@sukhera put them at the prisons too

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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

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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?

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Mahmood

Nov 04, 2015 07:35pm

Insider job, no doubt. Ground, maintenance and flight crew must be involved in the conspiracy!

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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.

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BAKHTIAR

Nov 04, 2015 07:42pm

Get services of NADRA for identification of culprits from finger prints

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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 .

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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

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Muhammed Ali

Nov 04, 2015 08:11pm

Inside job without saying...someone did not get paid and reported it to the authorities.

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Zak

Nov 04, 2015 08:20pm

Put them through ATC.

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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.

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Anonymous

Nov 04, 2015 08:23pm

100% FIA+PIA job!

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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.

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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.

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Aussieman

Nov 04, 2015 08:47pm

They should have followedthe trail and caught the person on other hand.

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kamal

Nov 04, 2015 08:52pm

Only arrested?? We want proof that the culprits are serving log prison sentences.

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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 ?.

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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.

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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.

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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

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anony

Nov 04, 2015 09:26pm

Name these crew people who bring shame to our country.

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Daood

Nov 04, 2015 09:40pm

And then they complain when Saudis cut their head off. This should be implemented in Pakistan as well.

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Naxalite

Nov 04, 2015 10:03pm

@sukhera The Govt should be suspended instead for non-merit appointments at the Top.

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Nov 04, 2015 10:22pm

Bravo! ANF, custom officials.

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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????

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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.

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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

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azkhan71

Nov 04, 2015 10:59pm

Great work by custom people and SHAME to PIA

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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.

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A common pakistani

Nov 04, 2015 11:16pm

Is it that easy to smuggle drugs in UAE? must be a drugs addicted nation

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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.

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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.

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A common pakistani

Nov 04, 2015 11:56pm

The drugs mafia is not limited to Pakistan only, it is an international plague and curse.

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M Jamal

Nov 04, 2015 11:57pm

There are some good people in Pakistan custom.Thanks to them.

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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.

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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.

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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

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Nasr

Nov 05, 2015 01:23am

Why the plane flew in the first place

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hamada

Nov 05, 2015 01:51am

nothing too bad. stuff happens

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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A Shah

Nov 05, 2015 03:27am

Every Pakistanis head is bowed with shame

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ABRAHAM Haque

Nov 05, 2015 04:15am

Turbo you are not heading anywhere we are already there

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Next door

Nov 05, 2015 04:48am

Do Pakistan a favor and ban the PIA.

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Riaz Murtaza

Nov 05, 2015 05:01am

PIA and Pakistan Customs people, Keep an eye on these criminal minded people.

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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?

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shereen

Nov 05, 2015 06:31am

Flash back to the eighties.

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Nov 05, 2015 08:11am

Very deep inquiry by sincere personnel needed. They can implant explosive if bribed.

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