Pakistan Air Force fighter jet crashes near Islamabad

Islamabad, March 11 (IANS) An F-16 fighter jet belonging to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on Wednesday crashed near Shakarparian here during rehearsals for the March 23 parade, an air force spokesperson confirmed.

Rescue teams rushed to the site of the crash while a board of inquiry has been ordered by Air Headquarters to determine the cause of the accident, Gulf news reported.

Footage posted on social media, seemingly shot from nearby buildings, showed the moment the plane came down and smoke and flames billowing into the sky, the BBC reported.

The fate of the pilot and co-pilot was not immediately clear.

The statement added that "a board of inquiry has been ordered by Air Headquarters to determine the cause of the incident".

Shakarparian is a hill and famous picnic spot for residents of the capital.