Funeral Prayers Offered for Army Helicopter Crash Victims
Funeral prayers for the army personnel who were martyred in the crash of a Pakistan Army Aviation Mi-17 helicopter near Muzaffarabad were offered on Thursday, according to the military's media wing. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated in a press release that the funeral prayers were held at Chaklala Garrison in Rawalpindi.
The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, senior civil and military officials, relatives of the martyrs, and members of the public.
Earlier, funeral services for two Christian soldiers who were martyred during the incident were also conducted at Christ Church in Rawalpindi, which was attended by political and military leadership.
Speaking on the occasion, PM Shehbaz paid tribute to the martyrs who laid down their lives in the line of duty. He was quoted as saying, “The martyrs' devotion to duty, professionalism, and commitment to safeguarding the motherland will remain a source of inspiration for future generations.” While emphasizing that the sacrifices of Pakistan’s armed forces for peace, security, and national sovereignty could never be forgotten, the prime minister reaffirmed the nation’s unwavering support for the families of the martyrs during this difficult time.
The ISPR said that the martyrs would be laid to rest in their respective native towns with full military honours. The helicopter crashed near Muzaffarabad on Wednesday during take-off due to a technical fault, resulting in the martyrdom of all personnel on board, the military’s media wing confirmed. According to the ISPR, there were no survivors in the crash. Rescue and recovery teams were dispatched to the site immediately after the accident and reached the area to begin relief and recovery operations. “A board of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the exact technical cause of the accident,” it added.
