ISLAMABAD: A Chinese passenger has accused a customs inspector at Islamabad International Airport of extorting money, issuing threats, and acting unprofessionally during a baggage check, prompting concerns about passenger safety and official conduct.
The traveler, who arrived on Pakistan International Airlines flight PK-855, said that after clearing immigration he was approached by a customs inspector identified as Anas.
According to the complaint filed later, the officer adopted an aggressive tone from the start and insisted that the passenger owed a mandatory tax on the personal items he was carrying.
The traveler alleges that the inspector demanded Rs1 million and repeatedly threatened him with jail if he did not comply. Feeling intimidated as a foreign visitor unfamiliar with local procedures, the passenger said he arranged the full amount under pressure and fear of detention.
After the payment, the complainant requested an official receipt. He claims the inspector initially tried to avoid issuing one and responded with additional threats. When a receipt was finally provided, it recorded Rs800,000 instead of the Rs1,000,000 he says he paid. The passenger alleges that when he questioned the missing Rs200,000, the inspector became verbally abusive and again threatened incarceration.
The incident, according to the traveler, left him distressed and financially harmed, raising wider concerns about how international passengers are treated at the airport.
Sources said Pakistan Customs has initiated an inquiry, though the accused inspector may be cleared because of his connections to senior officials.
