FIA recovered 7,740 grams of gold from PIA staff at Peshawar Airport.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is once again under the spotlight as two of its employees were arrested for attempting to smuggle gold out of the country. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Airport Security Force (ASF) caught the staff at Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar. Officials recovered 7,740 grams of gold, worth millions, from their luggage.
The arrested men, Nasir Khan and Shahidullah, were both stationed at the airport. FIA officials confirmed that they have been sent on a two-day physical remand for further questioning.
The arrests mark a significant step in FIA’s growing crackdown on smuggling through Pakistan’s airports. Authorities suspect that the two men may be linked to larger smuggling networks. Investigators are now tracing connections that could expose more suspects within and outside the airline industry.
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The case has raised fresh concerns about insider involvement at airports. PIA, already facing financial and management challenges, is once again in the news for the wrong reasons.
The FIA stressed that this operation is part of wider efforts to fight smuggling across Pakistan. Earlier, the FIA Balochistan Zone foiled an illegal border crossing attempt at the Pakistan-Iran border. In that raid, the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle Quetta arrested a known agent, Nadir, and his assistant Haider, who were allegedly running human trafficking networks.
Several Bangladeshi nationals, who had unlawfully entered Pakistan, were also caught while trying to cross into Iran.
Investigators now believe that gold smuggling and human trafficking may be tied to the same cross-border networks. FIA officials say such groups use airports and land routes to finance and expand their illegal activities.
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The arrests at Peshawar show that these networks may have insiders working inside state institutions, including airlines. Authorities say this angle is being investigated.
The incident has raised new alarms about airport security and insider corruption. Gold smuggling cases not only damage Pakistan’s reputation abroad but also create financial losses for the state. With PIA already under pressure, the scandal puts fresh questions on its ability to manage staff and operations.
The FIA has promised stricter monitoring at airports to stop smuggling and trafficking attempts. Officials say more raids and arrests are expected in the coming weeks.
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