ISLAMABAD: Forensic experts, police and the district administration officers along with representatives of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) at a meeting on Tuesday said there was no need for the exhumation of the bodies of the PK-661 crew.

As many as 47 people, including five PIA staff, on board the plane died in the air crash near Havelian on Dec 7. The plane was coming to Islamabad from Chitral.

During the meeting at Pims, it was decided that samples of only the pilot and co-pilot would be sent for forensic tests to ascertain the use of any illicit drug. The samples will be handed over to the Havelian police as the FIR of the air crash was registered there.

On Jan 16, the Pims administration received a letter from the district health officer, suggesting an autopsy on the bodies of the plane crew.

District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Najeeb Durrani said it was a standard operating procedure and part of all air crash investigations.

However, the Pims management said only the deputy commissioner had the power to direct for the exhumation of a grave.

On Tuesday, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Mushtaq Ahmed wrote a letter to the Pims administration, suggesting that the autopsy of the crew should be carried out for any illicit drug as per requirement of the investigation board.

Pims administrator Dr Altaf Hussain told Dawn that it was decided with a consensus that the graves would not be exhumed and already available samples would be used for the forensic tests. Moreover, instead of all the five crew members, samples of only the pilot and co-pilot’s would be sent for the forensic tests.

In reply to a question, Dr Altaf said as the Havelian police have to deal with the forensic tests, the samples would be handed over to them.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2017