COAS attends funeral prayers for pilot of crashed PIA plane

RAWALPINDI: Funeral prayers for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) pilot Ali Akram, one of the 47 victims of the deadly PK-661 crash, were offered in Rawalpindi on Thursday.

The prayers were held at Army Ground, Rawalpindi, which were also attended by Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Strict security arrangements were in place while performing of last rites of the late pilot.

Former Pakistan skipper Saqlain Mushtaq and former wicket-keeper Rashid Lateef were also present at the funeral.

Later, the army chief condoled family of the late pilot and extended his sympathies to them.

In Karachi as well, thousands attended funeral prayers for singer-turned-preacher Junaid Jamshed, who was killed in the PK-661 air crash last week, after which he was laid to rest at Darul Uloom Korangi amid tears and sobs.

The prayers led by religious scholar Maulana Tariq Jameel were held at AKD Ground, DHA Phase 8, after Zuhr on Thursday (today) amid strict security.

Before prayers, Maulana Tariq Jameel addressed the crowd, and spoke at length about how unexpected life is.

On Wednesday, December 07, the ATR-42 aircraft of the PIA crashed into the hillside near Havelian area of district Abbottabad, killing all 42 passengers and five crew members onboard.

Jamshed, once a Pakistani music icon who later turned preacher, was also aboard the flight along with his wife.