ISLAMABAD: A Senate committee on Tu­­esday directed the Ministry of Defence to conduct an impartial third-party inquiry into the alleged misconduct of Pakistan Interna­tional Airlines (PIA) cabin crew with a parliamentarian.

The directive stems from a privilege motion moved by Senator Bilal Ahmad Khan Mandokhail on February 12, 2026, regarding alleged misconduct by Ms Saima Rana, a cabin crew member on PIA flight PK-326 from Quetta to Islamabad on February 7.

The committee recalled that its recommendations issued on February 17, 2026, had called for grounding both the cabin crew member and the pilot involved. However, it observed that PIA failed to implement these directives.

Senator Mandokhail expressed disappointment over the airline’s non-compliance, stating that the crew continued performing duties despite clear instructions.

Incident occurred on flight PK-326 on February 7

The directives were issued during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges at Parliament House, chaired by Senator Waqar Mehdi. Parliamentarians expressed strong indignation over what they termed the stubbornness of PIA officials, accusing them of ignoring earlier directives and relying solely on an internal inquiry without consulting the concerned senator.

Senator Mandokhail said multiple opportunities had been given to the staff member to apologise if any mistake had occurred, but no such response was received. He added that he had paid a substantial fare for the journey, only to face humiliation.

He questioned the basis on which the aircraft door was closed, passengers were prevented from disembarking, and Airport Security Force (ASF) personnel were called in. He asked whether any crime or illegality had occurred, asserting that no such situation existed to justify these actions.

He further remarked that if such treatment could be meted out to a senator, the situation for an ordinary passenger would be even more concerning, adding that in similar circumstances, an ordinary citizen might have been detained.

The senator initially recommended termination of both the cabin crew member and the pilot. However, in light of the committee’s collective view, it was decided that a third-party inquiry would be conducted by the Ministry of Defence.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2026