Mushaf Ali Mir plane crash report brings terrible revelations
By Agha Iqrar Haroon
Mushaf Ali Mir plane crash report and findings of Public Accounts Committee of National Assembly of Pakistan has brought terrible revealing about negligence, possible corruption and a faulty organism within the top level of the system.
The former Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir and his wife Bilquis died in a Fokker F-27 crash that was being used by Pakistan Air Force. The incident took place near Kohat on February 20, 2003 and this scribe visited mountain top along with his staff the same week after this crash happened for a television report.
We have been waiting when the truth would come out and it took 12 years and 6 months to know what could be real reasons behind this terrible crash though PAF blamed pilot immediately after crash (that is a normal procedure in air crashes). Hailing from walled city family of Lahore, Musaf Ali Mir was known for his upright stances in war against terrorism and his bold and outspoken personality.
Many “could be and possibilities” came on surface including conspiracy theories about this crash that was of course a stigma on the face of PAF because his own chief (along with his wife and senior officials) was killed in a aircraft crash being used as carrier of the Air Chief staff. Pakistan was ruled by army rulers virtually when then incident took place and the then Chief of Pakistan Army Gen. Musharraf was ruler of the country therefore nothing came out from this tragic incident just a blame against deceased pilot who was of course not alive to narrate the story and shun off blames against him.
On October 5, 2015, a subcommittee of Public Accounts Committee of National Assembly of Pakistan held a briefing from the Director General Audit of Defense Services Malik Farrukh Abbas about crash of Fokker-F-27 that caused death of the then Air Chief Mushaf Ali Mir. Fokker F-27 Friendship 200 was being operated by Pakistan Air Force with registration number 10254. It took its first flight in 1964 and it was exceptionally old aircraft still being used till it crashed eventually. At the time of crash, it was using old 2 Rolls-Royce Dart 532-7 engines. Eight crew members and 9 passengers including Mushaf Ali Mir and his deceased wife were on board. It was scheduled to land at Kohat but crashed 32 km (20 mls) east of Kohat at 08.30 Pakistan Standard Time (PST). Among the casualties were other high-ranking officials of the Air Force, including two Principal Staff Officers – Air Vice Marshal Abdul Razzaq, DCAS (Training) and Air Vice Marshal Saleem Nawaz, DCAS (Administration) – and the air crew.
The investigation conducted by Director General Audit of Defense Services office revealed that Pakistan Air Force had been providing dubious data about the aircraft to auditors.
Audit report said:
On December 22, 1991 that Fokker aircraft (F-27) was purchased from Maritime Security Agency (MSA) for Chief of Army Staff (COAS) at a cost of $1.50 million. An amount of $0.574 million was further incurred on procurement of two engines for the aircraft.
On December, 23 1991, the very next day of conclusion of the contract, the GHQ declared the said aircraft as surplus to the requirement and asked the DG Defence Production for its disposal. National Carrier Pakistan International Air Lines (PIA) was approached for sale of aircraft but it did not respond in this regard. The DG Defence Production approached the GHQ and asked to intimate their willingness for sale of aircraft on open tender basis. The GHQ vide its letter dated May 10, 1993 intimated that the disposal of Fokker aircraft be pended till the finalisation of contract for purchase of a new executive aircraft for the COAS and sale of old aircraft be linked with the procurement of new aircraft by incorporating necessary clause in the contract.
A buy back condition for JPC-840, Cessna Golden Eagle 421C and Fokker (F-27) was incorporated in the tender floated for purchase of executive aircraft for the COAS but none of the firms showed interest in purchasing the old aircraft.
After inspection by a team of Pakistan Navy in June 1993, it appeared that the condition of the aircraft was alarming. The air worthiness of the aircraft was doubtful. Since induction in Army, the aircraft had flown 11 hours only till it crahsed.
The aircraft was very old with 46,865 airframe hours against the Pakistan Navy requirement of maximum 20,000 hours.
On January 22, 1994, the then Director General Defence Productions recorded his views that he had inquired from various organisations and companies about the sale of F-27 and it looked impossible to recover even 10 percent of the price if went for sale.
Director General Defence Audit claimed in his report that the Defence Service in 2008 through a letter confirmed that the same Fokker aircraft crashed in which former Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir was travelling along 15 other officers while DG Defence Purchase Major General Naveed Ahmed contesting the allegation said they had no knowledge as the same Fokker aircraft crashed as pointed out by audit official.
DG Defence Audit in his report said that aircraft was very old, unserviceable and was purchased against Rs83 million. The DG Defence Audit said that after the inspection of a Fokker F-27 by team of Pakistan Navy on June 1, 1993, it appeared that the condition of the aircraft was alarming and its air worthiness was also doubtful.
Audit report is now here to understand how purchases are done in Defence sector and how facts are covered or halted for decades if matters are related with Ministry of Defence.
We will see what actions would be taken against those who are indirectly and directly involved to buy an old aircraft for higher price and for those who allowed it to be in skies though it was nothing just a flying coffin due to its unworthiness for fly.
