"he had lost his savings and told the PIA crew"
A PIA staff member at Heathrow airport returned Rs. 6 million (£30,500) worth of saving certificates to a British Pakistani traveller.
The staff member also returned £4,000 in cash to the passenger, who was flying from London to Islamabad.
Muhammad Ashraf was travelling from London to Islamabad on PIA flight PK-786 when he accidentally left his saving certificates and money on a counter and forgot to pick them up.
It was reported that the saving certificates were valued at Rs. 300 million (£1.52 million).
PIA staff member Muhammad Naveed Qureshi came across the lost items and immediately handed them over to Station Manager Iyaz Khan for safekeeping.
Mr Qureshi explained that he had found the saving certificates and cash.
He went on to say that he managed to return them to the owner after tracking him down in Pakistan.
Mr Ashraf lost his bag before entering the immigration queue. He returned to the plane only to realise that he did not have his bag with him.
He then contacted PIA staff and told them that he had lost his belongings which included his money.
Mr Qureshi obtained the passenger’s details and contacted him to say that his belongings were safe and would be sent to him immediately.
The PIA staff member explained:
“The passenger was sad and depressed that he had lost his savings and told the PIA crew about his state of mind. The plane flew off and after that, I found the punch and bag near a desk by the security gate.
“I checked all details of the passenger from our system and took his contact details. The passenger realised that he had lost his life savings but didn’t know where.
“When we contacted him he was overjoyed and he couldn’t believe it.”
“The feeling is indescribable when he erupted with joy after hearing that his saving certificates and cash are safe with the PIA staff.”
Mr Qureshi stated that PIA staff returns passenger belongings instantly if they are found by staff.
This act of kindness follows the announcement that 12 PIA flights would be chartered for over 4,000 UK citizens to return home.
Dr Christian Turner, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, made the announcement on April 5, 2020.
He explained that the scale of British citizens wanting to return to the UK from Pakistan is “very large” but the priority is being given to the elderly, vulnerable and those who lack support.
Dr Turner said:
“We have worked very hard with the government of Pakistan and PIA to enable the departure of over 4,000 people to the UK.
“If you compare that to the flows of stranded Brits in most countries around the world, it is much more than what is happening from elsewhere.”
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