UNI
Islamabad, Apr 25: A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Mirage fighter jet crashed near Jhang town in Punjab province on Wednesday.
However, the pilot ejected safely. No loss of life or property was reported on the ground.
The aircraft crashed after it developed a technical fault during a routine training operational mission, a PAF spokesman said here.
The air headquarter has constituted an inquiry board to ascertain the exact causes of the crash.
Pakistan, which is the second country after France to have a large fleet of Mirages, plans to replace the ageing jets with the Chinese-origin JF-17 (Thunder) aircraft.
The PAF has already inducted two JF-17s, while six more are to be inducted towards end of this year. The two countries have jointly manufactured the jet, which had its inaugural flight in Chinese Chengdu city on May 10 last year, almost 14 years after the two countries began working on the project.
Pakistan is also set to induct 24 pre-used F-16s by end of 2008 and 18 brand new same jets of up-graded C and D versions by second quarter of 2010.
The PAF's fleet of fighter jets consists of F-16 multi-role jets, Mirages and Chinese-origin F-7s, F-7PGs and A-5s and K-8 jet trainers.