According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the pilots have been identified as Flight Lieutenant Muhammad Qasim Abdullah of the Pakistan Air Force, who was an instructor pilot, and Lieutenant Taha Abbasi of the Pakistan Navy, who was a trainee officer.
ISPR said, "A board of inquiry has been constituted by Air Headquarters to ascertain the cause of accident.”
Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, along with the Services Chiefs and all ranks of the Pakistan Armed Forces, expressed deep grief over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the bereaved families, ISPR added.
President Asif Ali Zardari, in a post on X, expressed deep grief and sorrow over the crash and paid tribute to the martyred pilots. The president said the nation would always remember the sacrifices of those who gave their lives in the defence of the country.
He also expressed heartfelt condolences and sympathy to the grieving families.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also expressed deep sorrow over the crash, and he conveyed condolences over the deaths of two officers in the incident, in a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office.
He prayed for the elevation of the ranks of the deceased and said he stood in solidarity with the bereaved families. He further said the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces in defending the country remains “unparalleled.”
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, in a statement, expressed sorrow over the crash of the training aircraft and paid tribute to the two pilots who were killed. He described Captain Qasim and Captain Talha as martyrs and honoured their sacrifice.
The interior minister also extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased pilots and expressed solidarity with them.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also took to X to express grief over the crash near Mardan. “We pay tribute to Flight Lieutenant Muhammad Qasim Abdullah (PAF) and Lieutenant Taha Abbasi (Pakistan Navy), who embraced Shahadat in the line of duty," the deputy prime minister said.
He extended condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for patience and strength for them.On June 10, a Pakistan Army Aviation Mi-17 helicopter crashed near Muzaffarabad during take-off due to a technical fault, resulting in the martyrdom of all personnel on board.
According to ISPR, there were no survivors in the crash. Rescue and recovery teams were dispatched to the site immediately after the accident and reached the area to begin relief and recovery operations, it added.