KARACHI: A Pakistani fighter jet crashed in the south of the country on Friday while on routine training, an air force official said, but the pilot ejected safely and there were no casualties on the ground.

The Mirage-V plane took off from the Pakistan Air Force's Masroor Base in Karachi and crashed near the town of Sonmiani in Balochistan province, air force spokesman Squadron Leader Mohammad Nadeem told AFP.

Sonmiani is around 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Karachi.

“The pilot ejected successfully and safely,” the spokesman said, adding the cause of the accident would be determined after investigation.

No loss of civilian life or property was reported on ground.

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 JF-17, or Thunder jets, manufactured jointly by China and Pakistan.