ISLAMABAD, March 23, (Reuter); A Pakistani air force jet crashed during a flypast at a National Day parade, killing the pilot, the official APP news agency said.
It said the mirage hit a large bird, went out of control and crashed several miles from the main viewing stand at Rawalpindi Racecourse.
President Mohammad ZiaulHaq presided at the ceremony with Prime Minister Mohammad Khan Junejo and the guest of honor, Zimbabwe Prime Minister Robert Mugabe.
Nobody at the racecourse seemed aware of the accident until the end of the two-hour parade.
A total of 97 planes, including US. supplied advanced F16 fighters, took part in two separate fly pasts.
Pakistan day marks the date in 1940 when the AllIndia Muslim League decided to campaign for a separate Islamic State after the British withdrew from the Indian subcontinent.
Mugabe occupied a platform with Zia and Junejo to take the salute at the start of the parade.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 27, 1987
