CHITRAL: As many as 17 passengers on board the ill-fated Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK661 from Chitral to Islamabad were residents of Chitral district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. All 48 persons, 42 passengers and 6 crew members, were killed when the flight crashed near Havalian. The atmosphere remained somber across the district as government offices, all markets and business and educational institution across the scenic Chitral valley remained closed. Funeral prayers in absentia were also held for the victims of the plane crash and fateha khwani was carried out in various seminaries and mosques in the district. The victims of the plane crash included Prince Farhad Aziz and his daughter Tyyiba Aziz. The late prince was a cousin if the former Mehtar (ruler) of the then Chitral state. Prince Farhad Aziz was a known paraglider and played a leading role in introduction and promotion of paragliding in Chitral. He was associated with the teaching profession for several years and used to take classes at a well-known institution the Langland Public School. Another victim from Chitral was identified as businessman Haji Takbeer Khan. He was on his way to Islamabad to attend the Dastar Bandi (convocation) ceremony of one of his sons who was studying there. Haji Takbeer was the father of 12 children.
