PAF and Navy Pilots Martyred in Trainer Jet Crash Near Mardan: ISPR

MARDAN: Two military pilots embraced martyrdom on Monday after a Pakistan Air Force trainer aircraft crashed near Mardan during a routine training mission, the Inter-Services Public Relations said.

The martyred officers were identified as Flight Lieutenant Muhammad Qasim Abdullah of the Pakistan Air Force and Lieutenant Taha Abbasi of the Pakistan Navy.

According to ISPR, the aircraft was on a routine training sortie when it went down near Mardan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The military’s media wing said Air Headquarters has constituted a board of inquiry to determine the cause of the crash.

No further details about the cause of the accident were immediately shared. Authorities are expected to examine technical, operational and environmental factors as part of the formal inquiry.

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir and the armed forces expressed grief over the martyrdom of the two officers and extended condolences to their families.

The incident comes as the armed forces continue regular training operations across the country to maintain operational readiness. The findings of the inquiry will determine the circumstances that led to the crash.

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