Key Takeaways
- Funeral prayers were offered in absentia for Muhammad Arif Siddiqui, a flight engineer on a crashed cargo plane.
- JI leader Muslim Parvez criticised the government's efforts to locate the bodies of the five crew members.
- The K2 Airways Boeing 737-400 crashed in the Arabian Sea on July 7.
Funeral prayers were offered in absentia for Muhammad Arif Siddiqui, a flight engineer who was among the five crew members of a cargo plane that crashed into the Arabian Sea off Karachi on July 7. The prayers took place near his residence in Gulistan-i-Jauhar and were led by his son, Abdul Rafay.
The K2 Airways Boeing 737-400, en route from Sharjah to Karachi, met with disaster when it crashed approximately 300 kilometres west of the city. Despite a deep-sea search operation, the wreckage was found but the bodies of all five crew members—two pilots, two engineers, and one support staffer—have not been recovered.
A large number of people attended the funeral prayers, underscoring the community's concern for the missing individuals. The event was also attended by JI leader Muslim Parvez, who expressed his dissatisfaction with the government’s search efforts.
Parvez stated that the continued failure to recover the victims' remains and the aircraft's black box is deeply concerning. He urged authorities to intensify their search operations and ensure an independent inquiry into the accident. 'The sudden disappearance of the aircraft from radar is a major tragedy,' he said, adding that all available resources should be utilised for recovery efforts.
City leadership of the Jamaat-i-Islami also participated in the funeral prayers, highlighting the community's solidarity with the families of the missing crew members. The event witnessed moving scenes as people demanded more robust actions from the government to locate the bodies and recover the flight data recorder.
The absence of the crew members' remains has caused significant distress for their families, who are seeking closure and reassurance. The government’s response so far has been criticised by Parvez, who called for a comprehensive investigation into the accident.
The incident highlights the challenges faced in deep-sea search operations and the importance of transparency in such investigations. As the search continues, the community remains united in its demand for justice and closure.
The sudden disappearance of the aircraft from radar is a major tragedy that requires a comprehensive, transparent and impartial investigation.
JI leader Muslim Parvez
