Efforts underway to ensure safe recovery Punjab govt helicopter’s crew: FO

ISLAMABAD (Staff Report) - The Foreign Office said on Thursday that efforts are underway to ensure the safe recovery of the kidnapped crew of the crashed Punjab government helicopter which made an emergency landing in eastern Afghanistan last week.

"The Afghan government is in talks with the local tribal elders of the area where the Punjab government's helicopter crash-landed with a Russian navigator and six Pakistanis on board," said Nafees Zakaria.

"There has been a response [about the crew]. The crew is safe and they [Afghan government] are trying to involve the local elders of the area in the recovery process," added Zakaria.

“We will inform you whenever there is any update on the matter,” said Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria.

A Punjab government Mi-17 helicopter, en route to Russia for a routine overhaul, made the emergency landing in the restive Logar province in eastern Afghanistan on August 4.