LAHORE: A special judge (customs, taxation and anti-smuggling) has granted post-arrest bail to PIA air hostess Aasia Qurban in a case of smuggling foreign currency.

Issuing a written order on the bail petition, Special Judge Yasin Shaheen observed that the petitioner/suspect is well nominated in the FIR, but no more required for investigation.

The judge noted that the maximum punishment provided for the offences charged against the petitioner extends to five years, which does not fall within the ambit of the prohibitory clause.

He said the suspect despite a service of 20 years in PIA has no previous criminal record to her credit. He also refers to a 2016 judgment of the LHC in model Ayan Ali case, which ruled that the suspect being a woman and having no previous criminal record deserves leniency.

“Therefore, in the case in hand, this court feels no hesitation to extend the same leniency in favour of the petitioner,” he declared in the order. He allowed bail to the air hostess subject to furnishing surety bonds of Rs500,000.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2024