In the last three months, four major cases of drug trafficking have been discovered in PIA Planes. As usual there were many meetings, notices issued and then things were going the usual way but somebody for a moment decided to take action. Drugs at Pakistani airports are nothing unusual and while different parts of airport operations refuse to take responsibility, drugs cartels are busy minting money.
During the course of action different airport departments and stakeholders were approached which included PIA, CAA, ASF and other airport service providers. More than 100 staff members of various organisation were interviewed or interrogated and thorough scanning of all available data was evaluated. Then simultaneous operations were conducted at Rawalpindi, Lahore & Karachi to get hold of the entire ring. Not surprisingly all the ring leaders and master minds of this racket were based in Karachi. Hence it is proven once again that all the evils that rot the PIA and Pakistan aviation in general are based in Karachi, precisely at Karachi airport. We know its a big statement but a simple google search can prove this.
So who are the 11 people ANF arrested?
*Most members of the cartel were arrested from Karachi
➢ Akbar Alias Badshash
Akbar is an ex PIA baggage handler and a holds a high rank in this drug trafficking cartel. He acted as chief coordinator and his responsibilities included recruitment of individuals at Karachi Airport, handing over drug packages and disbursement of facilitation charges or commission to the team members.
➢ Pervaiz Masih
Pervaiz Masih was recruited by Saleem Natiq as a cleaner in PIA. Further made his accomplice to PIA Driver Shahid. They both worked for notorious Drug Smuggler Shahida who got arrested in Nepal few years ago. In current setting Akbar alias Badshah Khan, instigated Pervaiz Masih for drug trafficking and made him a vital member of this cartel. Pervaiz Masih then recruited other members in the network to transport drugs inside the airport and plant them in the planes.
➢ Pervaiz Alam
Pervaiz is a traffic supervisor working in PIA Karachi. Pervaiz Masih introduced him to Akbar. Pervaiz Alam used to get drugs (Heroin) from Akbar and used to take the packets to a predetermined location inside the airport.
➢ Shujat Hussain and Muhammad Saqib
Both are shuttle operators in PIA. Their job was to pick the drug packages dropped by Pervaiz Alam and put the stuff in their lockers at safe place and on suitable occasion in coordination with Pervaiz Masih, any one of them with his team would take the drug packets inside the plane.
➢ Iqbal Masih, Maqbool Masih and Gopi Darshan
They are all PIA employees and working for the airline as sanitary workers. Any one of them alone or in collaboration with others under oversight of Shujaat or Saqib, they would place the packages in the designated space inside the plane.
➢ Imran Baig
Imran is employed as PIA Maintenance Staff (HTV Operator) on contract basis to wash the aircrafts. He revealed that he used to receive drugs from Saleem Natiq and Pervaiz Masih and used to transport these from outside to inside the airport.
➢ Waseem Fareedi
He is an employee of PIA Engineering Staff. Another PIA Engineering Staff Syed Ghulam Yazdani (Senior Tech and Vice President Peoples Unity Karachi) used to supply drugs to him. He was also a carrier to move drugs from outside to inside the Jinnah International Airport.
➢ Syed Ghulam Yazdani
He is Senior Tech and Vice President in Peoples Unity Karachi, who used to receive drugs from Akbar introduced to him by Saleem Natiq and keep them at his residence located in PIA Model Colony till an opportune moment.
Here are people arrested in Lahore
➢ Saleem Natiq
He is a PIA employee who was posted from Karachi to Lahore in Apr 2017 after the 1st discovery of heroin on 3 Apr 2017. He has been arrested from Lahore.
We wonder why he was not fired and allowed to function after the first discovery?
Arrests made at Rawalpindi
➢ Saleem Khan
Saleem is an ex employee who used to work as lower staff. He was terminated from his position after a drugs case. He would obtain essential info regarding schedule of aircrafts arriving and departing from Jinnah International Airport from Syed Anwar Shah and pass it on to Akbar. He would also render expert opinion on weight and size of the packages according to the cavity where drugs were to be placed. He was arrested in Rawalpindi after a tip off as he disappeared from Karachi. ANF recovered 2 Kg heroin from him.
➢ Syed Anwer Shah
He is serving in IT Dept of PIA and had access to complete info about schedule of aircrafts including their stay in maintenance hangers. He also established contact with Akbar occasionally. He has been arrested in Rawalpindi after a tip off along with Saleem Khan. ANF recovered 1 Kg heroin from him.