A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jet crashed near Sargodha while on a training mission on Thursday, a press release issued by PAF said. The pilot ejected the aircraft safely.

"Pakistan Air Force reports with regret that a PAF F7-PG aircraft, while on a routine operational training mission, crashed near Sargodha. The pilot of the aircraft ejected safely," the statement read.

No loss of civilian life and property has been reported on the ground, it said.

"A board of inquiry has been ordered by Air Headquarters to determine the cause of [the] accident."

A little over a week ago, a senior PAF officer had embraced martyrdom when his aircraft crashed near Mianwali while on a routine operational flight.

Wing Commander Mohammad Shahzad was flying an F-7 aircraft when it reportedly encountered a technical fault and crashed near the Sabzazar area of Mianwali late on August 8.

F7-PGs were first inducted in the PAF in 2002 as a replacement for the F-6, which were then decommissioned. The trainer FT-7PGs came later. The PAF had previously operated F-7Ps.

About 10 or 11 F7-PGs/FT-7PGs have been lost during their 15 years in service. The PAF has more than 50 of the Chinese-made aircraft in its fleet.

The losses of F7-PGs/FT-7PGs in air crashes are within normal limits, aviation experts claim.