Crashed helicopter: Fate of chopper crew still unknown

The crew, which includes 5 Pakistanis and one Russian technician, are presumed to have been taken hostage by Taliban

The fate of six crew members of a Punjab government helicopter, which crashed in Afghanistan last week, remains unknown with conflicting reports emerging on Thursday of their recovery.

The crew, which includes five Pakistanis and one Russian technician, are presumed to have been taken hostage by the Taliban.



Reports by different TV channels on Thursday, citing sources, claimed the crew have been rescued. Other reports still claimed that these men had been handed over to Pakistan and were on their way home.

Crew of Pakistan's Mi-17 Helicopter Released https://t.co/R8LWLqKzoA#Afghanistan #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/pQf0Ow6ajq

— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) August 12, 2016

However, there was no official word on their recovery.

Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria told a weekly news briefing that they were still working on recovering the men.



“Efforts for their recovery are underway and as soon as there is any tangible development we shall inform [the media].”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th, 2016.