Timeline: Air crashes in Pakistan

Published
0

A Pakistani mother who lost her son in a last year's plane crash, touches his name at a monument built near the site of crash, in Islamabad, Pakistan on Thursday, July 28, 2011. Family members and friends gathered to pray for the victims of a plane crash which killed 150 people on board. – AP Photo

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani passenger plane with up to 127 people on board crashed while trying to land in bad weather near the capital Islamabad on Friday, officials said.

Following is a chronology of major air crashes in Pakistan or involving Pakistani planes:

May 20, 1965:

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Boeing 707 crashes on its inaugural flight while attempting to land at Cairo airport, killing 124 people.

August 6, 1970:

A PIA Fokker F27 turboprop aircraft crashes while attempting to take off from Islamabad in a thunderstorm, killing all 30 people on board.

December 8, 1972:

A PIA Fokker F27 crashes in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad.

All 26 people on board are killed.

November 26, 1979:

A PIA Boeing 707 bringing home Pakistani Hajj pilgrims from Saudi Arabia crashes shortly after take-off from Jeddah airport, killing 156 people.

October 23, 1986:

A PIA Fokker F27 crashes while coming in to land in the northwestern city of Peshawar, killing 13 of the 54 people on board.

August 17, 1988:

A US-made Hercules C-130 military aircraft crashes near Pakistan's eastern city of Bahawalpur, killing military ruler General Mohammad Zia ul Haq and 30 others including Pakistani generals and the US ambassador.

August 25, 1989:

A PIA Fokker carrying 54 people disappears after leaving Gilgit in northern Pakistan. The wreckage is never found.

September 28, 1992:

A PIA Airbus A300 crashes into a cloud-covered hillside on approach to the Nepalese capital Kathmandu after the plane descended too early, killing 167 people.

February 19, 2003:

An air force Fokker F27 crashes in fog-shrouded mountains near the northwestern city of Kohat, killing air force chief Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali, his wife and 15 others.

February 24, 2003:

A chartered Cessna 402-B carrying Afghan Mines and Industries Minister Juma Mohammad Mohammadi, four Afghan officials, a Chinese mining executive and two Pakistani crew crashes into the Arabian Sea near the southern city of Karachi.

July 10, 2006:

A PIA Fokker F27 bound for Lahore crashes into a field and bursts into flames shortly after takeoff from the central city of Multan, killing 41 passengers and four crew.

July 28, 2010:

An Airblue Airbus 321 operated by the private airline Airblue flying from Karachi crashes into hills outside Islamabad while preparing to land, killing all 152 people on board.

November 5, 2010:

A twin-engine plane operated by Pakistani charter JS Air carrying staff from an Italian oil company crashes shortly after take-off in Karachi, killing all 21 people on board.

November 28, 2010:

At least 12 people are killed when a Russian-made Ilyushin IL-76 cargo plane operated by Georgian airline Sunway crashes in a fireball seconds after taking off from Karachi.

April 20, 2012:

A Bhoja Air Airbus 737 from Karachi comes down in bad weather near Islamabad. Officials say up to 130 people are on board and police say there is 'no chance' of survivors.

Opinion

Editorial

Climate challenges
Updated 13 Nov, 2026

Climate challenges

Pakistan cannot afford to confront its climate crises one disaster, one season and one international summit at a time.
Under fire
Updated 13 Nov, 2026

Under fire

KP police are increasingly vulnerable as they play a frontline role in ongoing operations against terrorists.
Used car imports
13 Nov, 2026

Used car imports

THE government’s effort to restrict used car imports appears to be faltering. So suggest the numbers. Despite...
Iran status quo
Updated 12 Nov, 2026

Iran status quo

The US cannot hold the world hostage in order to find an honourable exit from a disastrous war for which it has only itself — and Israel — to blame.
Unspent funds
12 Nov, 2026

Unspent funds

THE slow pace of development spending shows how public investment continues to bear the brunt of efforts to create a...
Homes and hope
12 Nov, 2026

Homes and hope

THE completion of more than one million homes for families displaced by the 2022 floods is a moment worth...