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Malaysia ambassador to Pakistan Datuk Dr Hasrul Sani Mujtabar has contacted his family here to inform his condition. His sister Nor Azian Mujtabar,56, said Dr Hasrul contacted her at about 9am today. "He assured us he is fine and told us not to worry about him," she said. Dr Hasrul, said Azian, informed her that he suffered injuries to his arm and cheek. "We didnt speak long but he is aware his wife had passed away," she said. Azian said the couple's eldest daughter will be flying to Pakistan at 1pm today for DNA testing.
PETALING JAYA: The family of the Malaysian High Commissioner to Pakistan Datuk Dr Hasrul Sani Mujtabar are praying for him as they await further news of the crash of an army helicopter carrying foreign diplomats and spouses in the Naltar Valley in Pakistan.
The crash early yesterday morning claimed the life of the High Commissioner’s wife Datin Habibah Mahmud while Dr Hasrul Sani was injured and was currently being treated at Gilgit hospital in Pakistan.
The MI-17 aircraft they were in reportedly crashed into a school at Gilgit and caught fire.
A statement from the Foreign Ministry said Dr Hasrul Sani and his wife were with several foreign diplomats and their spouses in the helicopter on an official programme when tragedy struck.
“The Norwegian, Netherlands and Philippines Ambassador, together with the wife of Indonesian Ambassador and wife of the High Commissioner of Malaysia perished in the incident,” the statement said.
Dr Hasrul Sani’s niece Khairunnisa Dottie Khairuddin said news of the crash came as a shock to everyone in the family.
“Right now we are just waiting for more news but we heard that my aunt, Habibah Mahmud, who was also on the helicopter had passed away,” she said.
Khairunnisa said the whole family was worried about the condition of Dr Hasrul Sani as the only news they had heard was that he was being treated in a hospital in Pakistan.
“We don’t know how bad his injuries are or anything. We are just waiting for news and praying,” she said.
In its statement, the ministry also said that the cause of the crash was still under investigation and efforts to obtain a full report on the incident were being made.
Earlier reports from Reuters said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was travelling to the mountainous northern region of Gilgit on a separate aircraft to launch two projects when the accident happened.
Pakistani military spokesman Asim Bajwa was quoted in a Twitter post as saying that the two pilots were also killed and the ambassadors of Poland and the Netherlands were among the injured.
It is learnt that 11 foreigners and six Pakistanis were on board the helicopter.
