TTP 'claims' responsibility of Gilgit helicopter crash: media reports

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - The banned terrorist outfit Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed the responsibility of Gilgit helicopter crash stating that the incident was result of an attack it carried out, Express TV reported on Friday noon.

ARY news, a local news channel, also reported presence of suspicious personnel in the vicinity of the crash site.

Some segments of the Urdu media have also published a statement by Taliban commander Khurrasani in which he has promised to soon unveil the missile used in the attack. According to the statement, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's was the target. It is pertinent to mention here that PM Nawaz was also traveling to Gilgit in another helicopter.

However, this could not be independently verified by our correspondents.

Pakistan government and army spokespersons have ruled out any such possibility.

Talking to journalists, DG ISPR Major General Asim Bajwa said, "the helicopter crashed due to a technical fault", adding that as per procedure an inquiry board has been constituted to investigate the cause of the crash.

Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif has also rejected any possibility of terror attack. In a statement issued following the accident, the minister said the crash was a result of faulty tail router.

Ambassador of Philippines Domingo D Lucenario Jr, Ambassador of Norway Leif Larsen and wives of the Malaysian and Indonesian ambassadors, along with two Pakistani pilots, lost their lives in the incident.

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