Daily Times

A Pakistan Army aviation helicopter en route from Quetta to Karachi with senior military officials aboard went missing on Monday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed in a tweet.

Taking to Twitter, the military’s media wing said that the aviation helicopter was on a flood relief operation in Lasbela, Balochistan when it lost contact with air traffic control (ATC). “Six individuals were on board, including Commander 12 Corps who was supervising flood relief operations in Balochistan,” the tweet said.

As per available information, Major Syed was the pilot while Major Talha was the co-pilot of the helicopter. Corp Commander Quetta Lieutenant General Sarfaraz Ali, who was supervising the flood relief operations in the province, was also on board. The Director-General of Coast Guards Major General Amjad, Engineer Brigadier Khalid, and chief naik Mudassir were also onboard.

Following the incident, the district administration said that a helicopter crashed in the vicinity of the Sassi Punnu Shrine, located near the Windar area, however, the ISPR had not issued any confirmation till filing of this report at 2am.

Deputy Inspector-General Khuzdar Pervez Imrani said that local police teams are also trying to find the helicopter. The area consists of mountain ranges which are creating difficulties in the search operation. He further said that despite the difficulties caused by the terrain, police teams are trying to search the helicopter on motorcycles as well. A joint rescue operation of police and Frontier Corps has been underway for the last five hours. Expressing concern over the disappearance of the helicopter, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif tweeted: “The disappearance of Army Aviation helicopter from Balochistan is alarming. The entire nation prays to Allah Almighty for the safety, security, and return of these sons of the country who came out to help the flood victims. Insha Allah.”

PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan also expressed his concern and prayed for the missing. “Disturbing news of army aviation helicopter missing and praying for all those on board,” he tweeted. “The whole nation is worried about the news of the disappearance of the army aviation helicopter. We pray to Allah that all the travellers are safe,” former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said. PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry also prayed for the safety and recovery of the army officials, saying he has a brotherly bond with Lt Gen Sarfaraz Ali.

Other politicians, government officials and people belonging to different walks of life echoed the same sentiments and prayed for the safety and early recovery of the military officers.

On Monday, Pakistan Army pledged its share of two days rations to flood affected population in Balochistan, Sindh, Southern Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Gilgit Baltistan. The subject relief items including Flour, Sugar, Rice, Tea , Cooking Oil , Milk Powder and pulses would be distributed by Army Formations to flood victims in different areas, an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release said.

The sporadic prolonged spell of heavy monsoon rains have killed 434 people and 24,420 livestock while 605 individuals got injured and 36,469 houses damaged so far in various parts of the country. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a daily 24-hour situation report that detailed various damages and losses reported across the country due to unprecedented rainfall and flash flooding.

The report highlighted that in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)’s Bajaur District, heavy rain partially damaged 13 houses whereas in Charsadda District on July 29, heavy rains injured three persons, four cattle got perished and six houses got fully and 25 houses got partially damaged.

In Dera Ismail Khan District, heavy rain on July 29 caused 16 houses partially damaged whereas in Malakand District death of three persons was reported along with seven houses partially damaged owing to heavy rain. The damages reported in Mardan District, due to heavy rain, resulted in partial damage to 14 houses, along with two houses fully damaged, and also 24 kanals maze crops got damaged.

In Mohmand District, death of a person was reported along with a dozen of houses partially damaged after massive rains. In Nowshera District, heavy rainfall partially damaged a house.

In South Waziristan District, two children got injured and a house partially got damaged amid increased rainfall.

In Swabi District, two womwn got injured and two houses got partially damaged during monsoon rain. In Swat District, two cattle died and a cattle farm got damaged by large scale rain.

In Punjab’s Multan District, monsoon rains wounded a child and partially damaged a house. In Jehlum District, a child was reported to be drowned in the river during rains.

In Gilgit Baltistan (GB)’s Ghizer District, five houses got completely damaged due to heavy rains whereas in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)’s Mirpur District a child was reported to be drowned in the river during rain.