Auditors on Monday informed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the aircraft that caused the martyrdom of then Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir was faulty.
The PAC was informed that the aircraft in question was first sent for induction into the national carrier, however, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) refused to induct the aircraft. It was then pushed towards the Navy, which also refused to accept it.
The aircraft in question, a Fokker F-27 was inspected in 1993 and was declared unfit and dangerous. The aircraft was property of the Ministry of Defence Production, according to the audit officials.
The DG Purchases was instructed to dispose of the aircraft but it was handed over to the Air Force in 1996 and was being used by the Air Chief.
Air Chief Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir was martyred on February 20, 2003 when the Fokker F-27 he was onboard crashed near Kohat.
He was the 16th chief of air staff of the PAF. He was promoted to the position on November 20, 2000, and served on the post until his martyrdom.
Initially, the cause of the crash was determined to be pilot error and bad weather conditions. The plane crashed killed the air chief, 2 staff officers, and 12 others on board the plane.