The funeral prayers (Namaz-e-Janaza) of Major Husnain Shehzad Humayun and Captain Abdul Samad — the two Army Aviation pilots martyred in Monday’s aircraft crash near Quetta — were offered at Chaklala Garrison in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The two officers lost their lives on October 12 when their Mushshak training aircraft crashed near Nawan Killi, Quetta, due to a technical fault, according to the ISPR’s earlier statement. Major Husnain, an instructor pilot, and Captain Samad, a student pilot, embraced martyrdom while on a routine training mission.
Nation’s leadership pays tribute
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the funeral prayers, alongside Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, the Federal Minister for Information, the Commander of the National Strategic Command, senior civil and military officials, and the bereaved families of the martyrs.
The ISPR said the armed forces and the nation paid rich tribute to the martyrs, honouring their service and sacrifice for the country. President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed deep grief and extended his condolences to the families of the two pilots.
After the funeral prayers, the bodies of the martyrs were to be transported to their native areas, where they will be laid to rest with full military honours.
A nation mourns
The crash has cast a pall of grief across the country, with tributes pouring in for the two pilots since the ISPR announced the incident on Monday. Major Husnain Shehzad Humayun, as an instructor pilot, had dedicated his career to training the next generation of Army aviators, while Captain Abdul Samad was a young officer at the start of a promising flying career.
The Pakistan Army has ordered a Board of Inquiry to determine the exact cause of the crash, though the ISPR has attributed the incident to a technical fault. The inquiry will examine the aircraft’s maintenance records, the flight data, and the circumstances leading up to the tragedy.
The Mushshak is a basic trainer aircraft used by the Pakistan Army Aviation for the initial flying training of its pilots. Manufactured by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) at Kamra, the Mushshak has been the workhorse of military flying training in Pakistan for decades, with an established safety record. The crash is a reminder of the inherent risks that military aviators accept every time they take to the skies, even on routine training sorties.
The two pilots were laid to rest as the nation saluted their courage. Their names join the long and honoured roll of Pakistan’s shuhada — men and women who gave their lives in service of the country.
Read more
Read our breaking coverage of the crash: BREAKING: Two Pilots Martyred as Army Aviation Mushshak Aircraft Crashes Near Quetta
