Overview
- The Pakistan Air Force training jet, which went down Wednesday near Mianwali in Punjab, was initially identified in reports as a Chinese‑Pakistani Hongdu JL‑8 trainer.
- Eyewitness videos showed parachutes and wreckage, and early accounts said both pilots ejected and survived.
- The Air Force has not issued a full statement, leaving the pilots’ conditions and the official timeline unconfirmed.
- Citing security sources, Xinhua said an engine malfunction may have caused the crash, with authorities opening an investigation.
- Mianwali hosts PAF Base M. M. Alam, a major training hub with prior fatal crashes in 2020 and 2017 that have heightened scrutiny of the training fleet’s safety and upkeep.