Six Pakistan Army officials were martyred after a helicopter crashed near Khost in Harnai, Balochistan on Monday, Aaj News reported.
As per the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the airplane was on a flying mission. All six personnel on board, including two pilots, embraced martyrdom.
The martyred have been identified as Major Khurram Shahzad, 39, from Attock; Major Muneeb, 30, from Rawalpindi; and Naik Jalil, 30, from Bhutta, Lohara, Teh Kharian in Gujrat district.
Also on the list of martyrs is Subedar Wahid, 44, who was from Sabirabad village in Karak, Sepoy Imran, 27, from Khanewal and Sepoy Shoaib, who was 35 years old and hailed from Khatarphatti PO Syeeda Teh Jhand in Attock district.
Pakistan Army helicopter with six onboard goes missing: ISPR
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took to Twitter to express his grief: "The entire nation shares the grief of the bereaved families."
In a statement on Twitter, President Arif Alvi paid tributes to the martyred officials and extended condolences to their families.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah termed the incident as “tragic”.
Climate Minister Sherry Rehman offered her condolences and also prayed for the families of the martyred officials.
Last month, six Pakistan Army personnel were martyred after their helicopter went missing. In a tweet, Director-General ISPR Major General Babar Iftikhar (DG ISPR) said debris of the helicopter was found at Moosa Goth, Windar, Lasbela in Balochistan.
"Accident occurred due to bad weather as per initial investigations," the DG ISPR had said at the time.