Claim: Social media posts claimed that a woman who allegedly assaulted an air hostess of Serene Airways is the daughter of Quetta’s ex-commissioner.
Fact: The claim is false. Our investigation suggests that the woman’s father did not hold any such position and they are unrelated to any political or bureaucratic background. According to Jogezai’s relative, he is a businessman based in Islamabad.
On 19 March 2025, a Facebook page Startup Pakistan posted an image (archive) with the caption, “Former Commissioner’s Daughter Allegedly [Assaults] Air Hostess on Serene Air Flight.
At Quetta Airport, ex-commissioner Iftikhar Jogezai’s daughter, Saima Jogezai, allegedly assaulted a Serene Air flight attendant.
Reportedly intoxicated, she misbehaved with staff during check-in and later verbally abused the cabin crew mid-flight.
As the plane prepared for takeoff, she shouted threats, forcing the captain to return.
When asked to disembark, she allegedly punched a flight attendant, breaking her tooth. ASF arrested both passengers, though pressure mounts for their release.
The incident has sparked calls for stricter action to protect airline staff.”
The incident refers to an alleged altercation between a Serene Air crew member and two passengers, Mr. Iftikhar Jogezai and his daughter, Saima Jogezai, during a flight (ER540) from Quetta to Islamabad on 19 March 2025.
According to media reports, the dispute began when a crew member asked Saima to fasten her seatbelt and close her meal tray, leading to a disagreement. As a result, the passengers were deboarded from the plane, and they later issued a formal apology. On the other hand, it was also reported that the crew member misbehaved with the passengers first, leading to a physical fight. It is to be noted that the media reports also referred to the passenger as a former commissioner and are part of the fact check.
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check investigated the claim as it is a matter of public interest and alleges the misuse of power by a public official.
To investigate, we reached out to freelance writer Faryal Jogezai from Quetta, who is also related to Iftikhar’s Jogezai’s family. She informed us via WhatsApp that Jogezai has never held any public office but worked in a bank most of his life. She also added that although they are from Quetta, Iftikhar Jogezai and his family have been based in Islamabad for many years.
Further investigation led to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by Islamabad-based journalist Mehwish Qamas Khan, stating that the woman’s father is not a former deputy commissioner. The post also claimed that the alleged altercation occurred because the air hostess misbehaved with the woman and her father first. However, Soch Fact Check could not independently verify these details.
A keyword search on Google then led to the website of a real estate company, Telegardens, where Iftikhar Jogezai is listed as the company’s president. However, the profile does not mention him holding any public office or serving as a commissioner in Quetta or anywhere in Balochistan.
Moreover, Quetta’s commissioner Hamza Muhammad Shafqat also refuted the claim on his Instagram and WhatsApp Channel on 19 March 2025. The screenshot of his Instagram story can be seen below:
Screenshot of Quetta Commissioner Hamza Shafqat’s Instagram story
Hamza Shafqat stated that no commissioner with the surname Jogezai had ever served in Quetta, and the media had misreported the incident. In a WhatsApp channel message, he also claimed that it was in fact, the airline staff who had mistreated the man and his daughter, leading to a physical altercation between the two women.
Soch Fact Check therefore confirms that there is no credible evidence to suggest that Saima Jogezai, the woman accused of assaulting a Serene Air crew member, is the daughter of the former commissioner of Quetta. Our investigation suggests that her father, Iftikhar Jogezai, is likely a businessman based in Islamabad.
Virality
The false claim was widely reported by leading media organisations in Pakistan without any evidence. It was shared by Geo News, ARY News, Aaj, Dawn News, Samaa News and Express Tribune among others.
It was also shared here and here on Facebook and here and here on Instagram.
Conclusion: The woman accused of assaulting a Serene Air crew member in Quetta is not the daughter of the former commissioner of Quetta. Our investigation suggests that her father, Iftikhar Jogezai, is likely a businessman and has never held any public office. Mainstream news media outlets have reported the incident without any substantial evidence to support the claim that Jogezai was ex-commissioner of Quetta.
Background image in cover photo: SereneAir
To appeal against our fact-check, please send an email to appeals@sochfactcheck.com