RAWALPINDI: A joint investigation has found three members of PIA’s ground staff guilty of attempting to smuggle 3.1kg of heroin earlier this month.

The drugs were found on Dubai-bound flight PK-211, which was diverted to Karachi after authorities received reports of narcotics on the flight on November 4.

A press release issued by the airline stated that joint investigation by PIA and the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) found three PIA staff members guilty.

It says that the three employees have also confessed to the allegations.

The PIA chairman has taken disciplinary action against the staff members and has had them terminated from service.

Narcotics were hidden behind the cabinets in a lavatory on the plane which took off from Benazir Bhutto International Airport at 12:50pm on November 4.

The plane was flying over Balochistan when the captain was asked to divert the plane back to the nearest airport, which was Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. The plane was then searched and the heroin was recovered.

PIA and other investigating officials are withholding the names of the accused.

However, when the ANF was contacted, a spokesperson for the force denied that t he ANF was involved in any joint investigation regarding a smuggling attempted by PIA employees.