The wreckage of a Pakistan Army aviation helicopter that went missing in Balochistan yesterday has been found and all six Pakistan Army personnel on board have embraced martyrdom, confirmed the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) today. A Pakistan Army aviation helicopter on a flood relief operation in Lasbela, Balochistan, went missing on Monday at 5:30pm when it lost contact with the air traffic control (ATC).
“Accident occurred due to bad weather as per initial investigations,” said the ISPR statement.
‘Will remain eternally indebted to these sons of soil‘: PM Shehbaz Sharif
Following the news, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of six army personnel.
“Nation is deeply grieved on the martyrdom of Lt. General Sarfraz Ali & 5 other officers of Pakistan Army. They were doing a sacred duty of providing relief to flood affectees. Will remain eternally indebted to these sons of soil.”
About Lieutenant General Sarfraz Ali who lost his life, PM Shehbaz said that “he was an excellent professional, dutiful and capable officer, very honest and a good human being”.
PM Shehbaz extended his condolences to the bereaved families of the six martyrs.
Martyrs who lost their lives while serving Pakistan
Commander XII Corps Lt Gen Sarfraz Ali
Lieutenant General Sarfraz Ali was supervising the flood relief operations in Balochistan when the helicopter crashed yesterday. In 2020, Gen Sarfraz Ali, who was serving as a Major-General, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General. Following his promotion, he was posted as the Corps Commander of XII Corps, which is also known as the Southern Command, in 2021.
General Sarfraz was one of the contenders interviewed by former prime minister Imran Khan for the post of director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in October last year.
Before his posting to the Quetta Corps, he served as the inspector general of the Frontier Corps in South Balochistan He had also served as defence attache at the Pakistani embassy in the United States (US).
Brigadier Amjad Hanif
Pakistan Coast Guard Director General Brigadier Amjad Hanif Satti was also on board.
Brigadier Muhummad Khalid
Brig Muhummad Khalid was also accompanying the army officers.
Major Saeed Ahmed
Major Syed was the pilot of the helicopter.
Major M. Talha Manan
Major Talha Manan was the co-pilot of the helicopter.
Naik Mudassir Fayyaz
Naik Mudassir embraced martyrdom along with others.
PM Shehbaz telephonic conversation with COAS Gen Bajwa
Earlier in the day, it was reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed concern over the then-missing Pakistan Army aviation helicopter during his telephonic conversation with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.
