Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada

Typically, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight attendants who arrive in Toronto stay at a hotel overnight, meet back up with their crew the next day and then fly to their next destination. But increasingly often, PIA attendants aren't showing up, the airline says. According to PIA, at least eight flight attendants disappeared over the last year and a half. They have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says. Abdullah Hafeez Khan said at least eight flight attendants "have gone missing" after flying to Pearson International Airport in Toronto. He said these incidents have been happening over the last 10 years, but are now occurring more frequently. "Since probably October of 2022, the number of the people that have opted asylum has increased tremendously," Khan said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca from Karachi, Pakistan, where the airline is based. "None of those crew members that disappeared in the last one-and-a-half years have come back. So they were granted asylum for one way or the other, and that probably has encouraged others to do so." The missing employees were fired immediately and lost their company benefits, Khan said.Khan said he could only speculate as to why the flight attendants would flee. The Canadian government underscored the volatile situation in Pakistan, warning in a travel advisory of a "high threat of terrorism," along with threats of civil unrest, sectarian violence and kidnapping. "The security situation is fragile and unpredictable," the Canadian travel advisory reads. "Incidents are typically attributed to extremism, ethnic divisions, sectarian strife, regional political disputes and the situation in neighbouring Afghanistan."<br/>