Maryam Raza, a Pakistani flight hostess with the state-run carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), went missing after landing in Canada. This event adds to a disturbing trend that has occurred since 2019, in which Pakistani crew members have gone missing after arriving in foreign countries. Maryam’s case is particularly noteworthy because it occurred shortly after another PIA flight attendant, Faiza Mukhtar, went missing in Canada in January 2024, as reported by Dawn. The disturbing trend of disappearances among Pakistani flight attendants comes at a difficult moment for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), which is dealing with financial and reputational problems. Pakistan is experiencing a severe financial crisis and has relied on loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Also, there has been a major brain drain of skilled professionals from Pakistan in recent years, further exacerbating the country’s challenges.
Maryam Raza, a seasoned air hostess with 15 years of experience, arrived in Canada on Monday
Maryam Raza’s disappearance underscores a broader trend of Pakistani flight attendants seeking asylum in Canada and other countries, with reports of such cases dating back to as early as 2018, according to The Media Line, a news website based in the Middle East. Maryam Raza, a seasoned air hostess with 15 years of experience with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), arrived in Canada on Monday aboard aircraft PK-782 from Islamabad to Toronto. However, on the return journey to Karachi, Raza did not report for duty as scheduled. Concerned authorities launched a search for Maryam, and when they entered her hotel room, they discovered her PIA uniform and a message that read, “Thank you, PIA.”
