The disturbing trend of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) crew members vanishing after landing in Toronto just refuses to stop. In yet another instance, a flight attendant who was supposed to be on a PIA flight, simply didn’t show up. When other crew members tried to contact him, they were told that he was unwell. However, there’s a lot to this story as it adds to the list of PIA crew members going absconding over the last few years during layovers in Toronto.
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Another Flight Attendant Vanishes in Toronto
Asif Najam, a senior flight attendant with PIA, arrived in Toronto on Sunday by flight PK798 from Lahore. His flight back to Lahore was schedule three days later, but went without him as Najam simply went missing after landing in Toronto.
Multiple analysts point to a much bigger problem at hand over here. As per PIA’s own data reported by the Toronto Sun, eight flight attendants have gone missing after landing in Toronto in 2022 and 2023.
On Oct. 14, 2022, PIA crew member Aijaz Ali Shah touched down at Pearson, and was scheduled to return to Islamabad on flight PK-782 days later but was a no-show.
This trend has only continued in 2024 and 2025.
They allege that PIA crew members use their time in Toronto after landing or during layovers to go absconding and then resurface later by claiming asylum, citing the country’s relaxed asylum policies.
Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations states that foreign nationals do not need to obtain a temporary resident visa if they seek to enter and remain in Canada as a flight crew member.
PIA’s spokesperson put out a generic statement about the incident, playing down the disappearance.
A PIA spokesperson said the case is under investigation: “Departmental action will be initiated against the flight steward in case of illegal disappearance,” the spokesman stated.
PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan said: “PIA flight attendant Asif Najam did not report for duty on flight PK-798 from Toronto to Lahore. When contacted, he cited ill health as the reason. The matter is under investigation and action will be taken if he is found to have disappeared illegally.”
The Pundit’s Mantra
If you look at news reports over the last 4-5 years, you’ll see one common trend. PIA crew members land in Canada after a flight or during a stop over and then suddenly go missing. Critics of Canada’s current immigration policy cite the fact that the current loopholes in Canada’s immigration system make it easy for crew members from certain countries to seek asylum once they land in Canada, as they seek to find refuge from largely fledgling local economies back home.
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