PAF ordered for an investigation of the accident to be carried out and formed a committee to look into the matter. — Photo by AP

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan Air Force aircraft crashed during a training mission on Wednesday but the pilots baled out safely, an air force spokesman said.

“It was FT-7 training aircraft. It crashed near Mianwali soon after take off from the base,” the spokesman told AFP.

A woman trainee pilot and the instructor managed to escape, he said adding that “both are safe.”

It was the third air force jet to crash in training in three months.

Two pilots were killed in the other incidents and a helicopter crashed in last June killed four military personnel.

The Pakistan Air Force has a fleet of Chinese aircraft, including F-7PGs and A-5s, plus US-built F-16s and French Mirages.

It recently acquired medium-tech JF-17 or Thunder jets, manufactured jointly by China and Pakistan.

Opinion

Editorial

External woes
Updated 21 May, 2026

External woes

Relying indefinitely on remittances to offset structural economic weaknesses is not sustainable.
Political activity
21 May, 2026

Political activity

THE opposition is astir. There is talk of widespread protests this Friday over a list of dissatisfactions with the...
Seizing hope
21 May, 2026

Seizing hope

ISRAEL’S tyranny knows no bounds. After intercepting the Global Sumud Flotilla that set sail last week, disturbing...
Hormuz gamble
20 May, 2026

Hormuz gamble

The Strait of Hormuz has become the real centre of the confrontation.
The unkindest cut
20 May, 2026

The unkindest cut

SUICIDE, a complex symptom of deep despair triggered by mental health problems, is hardly a moral issue. Punitive...
Ad hoc culture
20 May, 2026

Ad hoc culture

THE Supreme Court’s ruling against prolonged ad hoc and acting appointments is an indictment of a deeply ...