A Senate committee has directed the Ministry of Defence to initiate an impartial third-party inquiry into allegations of misconduct involving Pakistan International Airlines (Pakistan International Airlines) cabin crew and a parliamentarian.
The directive follows a privilege motion moved by Senator Bilal Ahmad Khan Mandokhail over an incident on flight PK-326 from Quetta to Islamabad on February 7, 2026. The senator alleged inappropriate conduct by a cabin crew member, prompting the Senate Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges to take up the matter in its meeting chaired by Senator Waqar Mehdi.
The committee noted that its earlier recommendations issued on February 17, which included grounding both the cabin crew member and the pilot, were not implemented by PIA. Members expressed concern over the airline’s failure to comply and criticised its reliance on an internal inquiry rather than engaging with the concerned senator.
Senator Mandokhail said he had been given multiple opportunities to receive an apology, which was not forthcoming. He also raised questions about the circumstances under which the aircraft door was closed, passengers were prevented from disembarking, and Airport Security Force personnel were called in, arguing that no apparent illegality justified such measures.
The committee concluded that, given the seriousness of the allegations and the concerns over internal handling, a third-party inquiry under the Ministry of Defence would be conducted to determine facts and ensure accountability.