PIA plane crash: Initial inquiry report to be made public by June 22, says Sarwar

• 51 bodies of plane crash victims have been identified through DNA and handed over to their heirs: Sarwar.
• The plane crash was a tragic incident in the history of aviation: Aviation minister.
• Ghulam Sarwar says prime minister has directed to make all the reports of plane crash incidents public.

(Karachi) Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar has said that the initial inquiry report in plane crash incident will be made public by June 22.

Addressing a press briefing on plane crash incident in Islamabad on Thursday, he said that the plane crash was a tragic incident in the country's aviation history. The government will provide Rs1 million each to the families of the victims while it will also provide funds for reconstruction of the damaged houses, he said.

He added that 51 bodies of plane crash victims have been identified through DNA and handed over to their heirs. He mentioned that 12 plane crash incidents have occurred since independence in the country.

"The prime minister has directed to make all the reports of crash incidents public and take action against those found responsible," the minister pointed out. He said that leniency will not be shown to those found responsible and negligent in the crash incident.

Ghulam Sarwar stated that 11-member team of Airbus from France is carrying out investigation while a senior member of Pakistan Air Force is heading probe into the tragic crash. "The French team will take the evidence and decode it which will reveal the facts and exact cause of the plane crash."

The federal minister said that the investigation board has the authority to include anyone in the inquiry.

He said that the aircraft crashed during landing in which 97 people lost their lives while two survived miraculously.

To a question, he said that Sindh government has made it a habit to politicize matters. "The report of the crash incidents that occurred during the tenure of PPP government have not been made public till date," Sarwar said.

Responding to a question on whether there was a technical fault that caused the accident, Sarwar requested TV anchors and journalists to refrain from discussing the technical aspects of the crash, saying that only the experts could answer their queries.

"Look, if there was a technical fault in the plane, it must have been recorded. In other words, we will find out one way or the other soon," Sarwar said.

"Voice and data records have been found. I believe one was found earlier today. There are technical questions that you or I can't answer. So we will wait for experts to tell us," he added.

Sarwar also said that the domestic flight operation has not been impacted in the aftermath of the accident.