Pakistan International Airlines' flight attendant flies to Canada without passport, fined $200

A Pakistan International Airlines' (PIA) air hostess flew to Canadian city Toronto from Islamabad without her passport on Friday. When the flight landed in Toronto, Canadian authorities fined her $200 for negligence and reaching the country without passport, reported Geo News.

As per the report, the woman forgot to keep her passport on flight PK-781, bound for Toronto. She boarded the plane on general declaration documents.

A PIA spokesman shared that the flight attendant had left her passport at Karachi airport. Denying reports of the woman's political asylum in Canada, he said that she is returning to Pakistan via flight PK-782.

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The incident has happened in the wake of recent deliberate disappearances of PIA staff after landing in Canada. Recently, a PIA flight air hostess named Maryam Raza disappeared after the plane landed in Canada. She was scheduled to board her return flight to Karachi but was not found in her hotel room. Maryam's colleagues found her uniform and her message on a piece of paper which read, “thank you PIA.”

Why are PIA staffers deliberately disappearing in Canada?

As per reports, PIA staff are disappearing in a bid to seek refuge in Canada amid Pakistan's precarious economic situation. The crew members are capitalising on UNHCR's policy for refugees in Canada.

On UNHCR's official website, the UN Refugee Agency says, " If you are fleeing your country because you fear persecution, you can apply for asylum in Canada. If you are granted asylum, this gives you refugee status and the right to stay."

"To apply for asylum, you must be physically present in Canada or be seeking entry into the country at a port of entry," reads the message on the website.

Fear of prosecution flagged by refugees may be on the basis of race or nationality, religion, political opinion, risk of torture etc.

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