Pakistani chopper crash-lands in Afghanistan, crew taken hostage by Taliban
DG ISPR Gen Asim Bajwa tweeted that Gen Nicholson assured of all the help in that regard
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk / AFP) – Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif contacted commander of Resolute Support Mission (RSM) General Nicholson, Afghan government and Afghanistan National Army (ANA) on Thursday to help in the recovery of crew of Punjab government helicopter which crash landed in Afghanistan, reported Dunya News.
The helicopter crash-landed in the restive Afghan province of Logar on Thursday, officials said, without confirming reports six people on board were taken hostage by the Taliban.
"Six people were boarding it, but we are unaware of their fate," a senior government official based in Lahore told AFP on condition of anonymity.
The helicopter was being sent to Uzbekistan for overhauling when it crashed in Azra district, in the restive Afghan province of Logar, the official added.
Director General Inter Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa posted a message on Twitter that General Raheel Sharif talked to General Nicholson, who assured that they would help all the possible help in that regard.
In another tweet he mentioned that Afghan government and ANA were also contacted for necessary assistance.
Earlier, local district governor Hamidullah Hamid said six people on board had been taken hostage by the Taliban and transported to an unknown location.
The insurgents have not so far commented on the incident.
A spokesman for Pakistani embassy in Kabul confirmed the crash, but would not say if the passengers had been kidnapped.
"An Mi-17 transport helicopter belonging to the Punjab government was scheduled to fly to Russia for repair. We think the same chopper crash-landed in Logar," Akhtar Munir told AFP.
"We don’t know anything about the fate of those on board or why it crash-landed."
The Mi-17 caught fire after the crash, according to the provincial governor’s spokesman Salim Saleh.
Pakistan’s army uses Russian-made MI-17 helicopters, several of which have crashed in recent years.
In February, an army officer was killed when a military helicopter crashed in northern Pakistan on a routine night training mission.
Last August, 12 people were killed when a helicopter belonging to the army crashed in northwest Pakistan.
And seven people -- including two foreign ambassadors -- died in May last year when an Mi-17 army helicopter crashed at a holiday resort in the hills of Gilgit.
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