Key Points
- Viral social media claim alleged an entire PIA flight crew sought asylum in Canada
- Pakistan International Airlines officially rejected the claim as false and baseless
- PIA stated the rumor was spread by anti-Pakistan elements to malign the airline
- Aviation experts confirmed no such incident occurred or was officially reported
- Authorities emphasized that mass crew disappearances would trigger immediate global alerts
- Public and media urged to verify information before sharing unconfirmed reports
ISLAMABAD: A widely circulated claim on social media alleging that an entire Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight crew sought asylum in Canada during a layover in Toronto has been declared false and baseless.
The claim, which surfaced over the weekend on X (formerly Twitter), suggested that the complete crew of a particular PIA flight surrendered to Canadian authorities and applied for asylum. However, no such incident occurred.
A tweet, circulated by certain anti-Pakistan quarters, claiming that whole crew of a particular #PIA flight is missing, is entirely baseless.
Purpose of this tweet seems to malign PIA and #Pakistan 🇵🇰
There has been no such incidence, and the news is fake.
— PIA (@Official_PIA) December 14, 2025
Pakistan International Airlines has categorically rejected the claim. In an official statement posted on its verified X account, PIA said the report was “entirely baseless” and aimed at maligning the national flag carrier and Pakistan.
“A tweet, circulated by certain anti-Pakistan quarters, claiming that the whole crew of a particular PIA flight is missing, is entirely baseless,” PIA stated, adding that no such incident has taken place and the news is fake.
Aviation experts have also dismissed the claim, noting that international aviation operations are closely monitored and any such mass disappearance would immediately trigger formal notices, regulatory alerts, and official confirmations from multiple authorities.
The false claim appears to be part of a broader trend of misinformation and unverified content gaining traction on social media platforms without credible sources or official confirmation.
PIA has urged the public and media organizations to verify information from authentic sources and refrain from sharing unverified reports that could harm the reputation of national institutions.
