Pilot dead, companion critically injured in Jhang microlight
aircraft crash
Qazi Zafar, a member of Peshawar’s renowned Qazi family, which
has a long association with amateur aviation and the Peshawar Flying Club, died
after a microlight aircraft crashed in Punjab’s Jhang district on Saturday. His
companion, who was travelling with him, sustained critical injuries.
According to local sources, Qazi Zafar was piloting the aircraft
when it crashed. He succumbed to his injuries shortly after the incident, while
his companion was seriously injured. The exact cause of the crash had not been
established at the time of reporting.
Sources said Zafar had returned to Pakistan from abroad only
recently. His death has plunged his family and residents of Landi Arbab,
Peshawar, into mourning.
Former member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Assembly
Malik Wajidullah Khan expressed grief over the pilot’s death, describing it as
a devastating loss for the bereaved family and the local community.
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In a condolence statement, he said the sudden death had left the
family, relatives and residents of the area deeply saddened. He expressed solidarity
with the bereaved family and prayed for the deceased’s forgiveness and a place
in Paradise, as well as patience and strength for those mourning his loss.
A family legacy marked by aviation tragedies
The latest incident has renewed attention on the Qazi family’s
decades-long involvement in amateur aviation, a pursuit that has brought both
distinction and tragedy to the family.
Based in Landi Arbab, Peshawar, the family’s aviation activities
reportedly date back to the late 1980s, when Qazi Sajjad and his brothers began
experimenting with homemade gliders constructed from bamboo sticks and
parachute material. One of their early flights ended in a crash into trees,
leaving the pilot seriously injured.
Over the years, the family continued to pursue its interest in
flying, but the hobby was also marked by fatal accidents.
In December 2021, Qazi Ajmal died when his small gyrocopter
crashed in the mountainous area near Kund Malir in Balochistan. According to
accounts provided by his family at the time, security concerns in the area had
forced him to take off in darkness, contributing to the circumstances
surrounding the fatal accident.
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Following Ajmal’s death, the family announced that it would
discontinue its flying activities.
Zafar’s death in the Jhang crash is another devastating loss for
a family whose history has been closely intertwined with grassroots aviation.
Cause of crash yet to be determined
The circumstances surrounding Saturday’s accident remain
unclear, and further details are awaited from the relevant authorities. No
official findings on the cause of the crash were available at the time of
publication.
The condition of Zafar’s injured companion and any formal
investigation findings were also awaited.
Source: Express Tribune