ASF cuts woman Hajj pilgrim's hair at Karachi airport on suspicion of drugs

Airport Security Force (ASF) personnel at Karachi Airport allegedly cut the hair of a woman, who was about to embark on Hajj pilgrimage, after suspecting her of carrying drugs.

As per sources, ASF personnel stopped a woman departing for Hajj on Saturday at the overseas departure checkpoint.

The woman had long, thick hair on which the ASF inspector, sub-inspector and ASI suspected her and informed the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) officials.  

Though ANF personnel cleared the woman, ASF remained unconvinced and maintained that she might be concealing something in her hair.

ASF personnel reportedly escorted the woman to a private room and cut off all her hair. The shorn hair was then scanned in a detection machine, but no drugs were found.

The Aviation Division ordered an official inquiry into the incident. AD Secretary formed a four-member committee tasked with investigating the matter and submitting a report within two days.

“An incident was reported on June 1, 2024, where ASF officials, during a search at international departures at Jinnah International Airport Karachi, stopped a family consisting of Ms Seema Bano and her husband, Muhammad Shafi Ahmed, who were travelling for Haj via flight SV-701,” the order stated.

“After scanning, she was cleared to board [the flight]. Therefore, it is considered necessary to inquire into this matter to ascertain the facts of the incident and fix responsibility” it added.

The inquiry committee will also examine whether the actions of the ASF officials adhered to established protocols.

Special Hajj flights are transporting pilgrims from across Pakistan. The Pakistan Hajj Mission is responsible for over 70,105 government-sponsored pilgrims and more than 80,000 private pilgrims. 

As of now, over 42,000 pilgrims under the government scheme and 15,000 private pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia.