What happened
Two officers were martyred on Monday when a Pakistan Air Force Super Mushshak trainer aircraft crashed near Mardan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during a routine training sortie, the military’s media wing said.
The Inter-Services Public Relations identified the dead as Flight Lieutenant Muhammad Qasim Abdullah of the Pakistan Air Force, an instructor pilot, and Lieutenant Taha Abbasi of the Pakistan Navy, a trainee officer.
The ISPR said a board of inquiry had been constituted by Air Headquarters to ascertain the cause of the accident.
Condolences
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, along with the Services Chiefs and all ranks of the Pakistan Armed Forces, expressed deep grief over the loss and extended condolences to the bereaved families.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep grief and sorrow over the crash and paid tribute to the martyred pilots, saying the nation would always remember the sacrifices of those who gave their lives in the country’s defence.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow and conveyed condolences over the deaths of the two officers. He prayed for the elevation of their ranks and said he stood in solidarity with the bereaved families, adding that the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces in defending the country remained unparalleled.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also expressed sorrow and paid tribute to the two pilots, describing them as martyrs. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressed grief on X and paid tribute to the two officers, who he said had embraced martyrdom in the line of duty.
Recent air accident
The crash came days after a Pakistan Army Aviation Mi-17 helicopter crashed near Muzaffarabad during take-off because of a technical fault on June 10, killing all personnel on board. The ISPR had said there were no survivors.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published reporting, not independent reporting. Details are as carried by the cited source, which was reviewed on 2026-06-15.
- The Express Tribune — "Two officers martyred in PAF trainer jet crash near Mardan: ISPR"15 June 2026 · The crash and the naming of the two officers, the board of inquiry, and the condolences from the military leadership, president, prime minister, interior minister and foreign minister.
