CHITRAL: Amid heart-rending scenes, the remains of 12 victims of the recent air crash near Havelian, six of them belonging to a single family, were buried near here on Saturday.

The remains of the six family members — that of Mirza Gul, his wife Gul Huran, sons Hasan Ali and Farhan Ali and daughters Samina Gul and Zahida Parveen — were buried in their native village of Izh Garam Chashma.

The only surviving member of the ill-fated family is Hasina Bibi, a student of class seven.

The other bodies laid to rest included those of Salman Zainul Abideen and Mohammad Khan of Morder village, Mohammad Ali of Zaiet village, Ahteramul Haq of Booni and Ayesha Usman of Shah Nigar Drosh.

The body of Shamshad Begum was buried in Zhang Bazaar village. Her father Mohammad Wazir Khan also died in a plane crash, near Lowari Pass in 1965.

Wreaths were placed on the graves of the victims on behalf of the PIA, Chitral Scouts and the district government.

Of the 47 people who died in the plane crash, 20 belonged to Chitral.

Earlier, the nazim of Chitral district, Maghfirat Shah, received the coffins of the deceased at the Chitral airport upon their arrival from Islamabad aboard a C-130 aircraft.

He subsequently dispatched them to the villages of the victims. He also attended the funeral prayers that were offered in Zaiet, Booni and Morder areas.

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2016