Two officers, four troops martyred in Harnai helicopter crash

Six Pakistan Army officials were martyred after their helicopter crashed during a flying mission near Khost in Balochistan’s Harnai area, said a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Monday.

The military's media wing said, "All six personnel on board, including two pilots, have embraced shahadat."

The martyred officers were identified as:

- Major Khurram Shahzad, 39, resident of Attock. He is survived by his wife and a daughter.

- Major Muhammad Muneeb Afzal , 30, resident of Rawalpindi. He was married with two sons.

- Sub Abdul Wahid, 44, resident of Village Sabir Abad in Karak. He is survived by his wife and four children.

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- Sepoy Muhammad Imran, 27, resident of Makhdoompur Khanewal. He was married with three children, including two daughters and a son.

- Nk Jalil, 30, was part of the crew, a resident of Kharian, District Gujrat. He is survived by his wife and two sons.

- Sepoy Shoaib, 35, a resident of district Attock. He was married with one son.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief and sorrow over the helicopter crash.

“Deeply saddened by the martyrdom of 6 military officials, including 2 pilots, in the accident of Pakistan Army helicopter in Harnai, Balochistan," he said in a tweet.

"The entire nation shares the grief of the bereaved families,” he added.

Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan expressed sorrow over the tragic incident.  “My deepest condolences and prayers go to the families of these brave soldiers,” he said in a tweet.

Last month, a Pakistan Army aviation helicopter -- which was on flood relief operations in Balochistan’s Lasbela -- had gone missing and the wreckage of the copter had later been found in a coastal district of Balochistan.

None of the six officers and crew on board had survived the crash.

Funeral prayers held

The funeral prayers of the martyred soldiers were held at Quetta Garrison, Balochistan, later in the day. They were attended by Corps Commander Balochistan Lieutenant General Asif Ghafoor among other senior military and civilian officials.

The bodies of the deceased soldiers will be sent to their native towns where they will be buried with full military honours, stated the ISPR.