THIS refers to the report “Yet another PIA steward ‘disappears’ in Toronto” (June 26). Similar situations were witnessed in the late 1980s and the early 1990s when scores of male and female cabin crew members of the national carrier used to ‘disappear’ in the United States soon after arrival in New York from Pakistan.

After the withdrawal of PIA flights to and from the US in October 2017, the culprits shifted their point of destination to Canada. I strongly feel their final destination would still be the US. It is not too difficult for a person to cross the border with the help of friends or relatives once they risk losing all the benefits of their cushy job.

Such incidents will grow manifold to avail the US administration’s amnesty to legalise all undocumented illegal immigrants. PIA has to scrutinise the individuals thoroughly before scheduling them in Toronto-bound flights. Owing to such actions by some individuals, the national carrier is slapped with fines, and earns a bad name for the country.

Manzoor A. Patoli
New York, USA

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2024