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Canadian asylum laws under fire after second PIA crew member disappears
After Jibran disappeared, a PIA spokesperson said that measures to stop such incidents have turned out "abortive"
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Canadian asylum laws under fire after second PIA crew member disappears / Wikimedia Commons
A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) cabin crew member mysteriously disappeared shortly after landing in Toronto, Canada on Feb. 29. The crew member is identified to be Jibran Baloch, a PIA flight steward who failed to report for duty on the return flight, raising concerns within the airline.
This latest disappearance mirrors a similar event involving Maryam Raza, an air hostess who went missing in Toronto earlier in the week. Raza did not return for her scheduled flight to Karachi, prompting authorities to search her hotel room where they discovered her PIA uniform accompanied by a note expressing gratitude to the airline.
Officials are attributing these disappearances to the allure of Canadian citizenship, citing the country's accommodating asylum laws that permit applications upon entry. The trend of PIA crew members vanishing upon arrival in Canada has raised alarms within the airline, despite previous attempts to address the issue.
The official site of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN refugee agency says, “You can ask for asylum when you arrive in Canada at the airport.”
“If you are fleeing your country because you fear persecution or risk to your life, you can apply for asylum in Canada. If you are granted asylum, you will receive 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 point of entry (airport, land border, or seaport),” the site added.
After Jibran disappeared, a PIA spokesperson said that measures to stop such incidents have turned out "abortive".
Efforts to prevent such incidents, including measures like passport submission upon arrival, have proven ineffective. The recent disappearance of Baloch marks the second such case this year.
It is to note that in the year 2023, four PIA stewards and air hostesses managed to depart unnoticed upon their arrival in Canada and in 2024, an equal count of four PIA crew members has fled upon their arrival in the country.
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