- Pakistan's flag will fly at half-mast in honor of the late Iranian president.
- President Zardari expresses shock and sadness over the tragic accident.
- Pakistanis share the pain of their Iranian brothers and sisters: Bilawal.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday announced a day of mourning in honor of the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and other senior officials in a helicopter crash.
“Pakistan will observe a day of mourning and the flag will be flown at half-mast as a sign of respect for President Raisi and his comrades and in solidarity with brother Iran,” Prime Minister Shehbaz said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
“I, along with the government and people of Pakistan, extend our deepest condolences and solidarity to the Iranian nation over this terrible loss,” the prime minister said while praying for the martyred souls.
“The great Iranian nation will overcome this tragedy with its usual courage,” the prime minister said.
Shehbaz's comments come as Iran's Vice President Mohsen Mansouri confirmed Raisi's death in a statement on social media and state television on Monday.
President Raisi, Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian and other senior officials were returning to Iran after attending a inauguration ceremony for a dam on Iran's border with the Republic of Azerbaijan when the helicopter crashed while flying over mountainous terrain. in the middle of dense fog in the Varzaqan region, in the east of the country. Azerbaijan Province on Sunday afternoon.
According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA)The governor of East Azerbaijan province, Malek Rahmati, and Mehdi Mousavi, head of Raisi's guard team, were also on board the crashed plane.
A large-scale search and rescue operation was launched in the fog-covered mountainous area of East Azerbaijan province and search teams located the remains on Monday morning.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed “deep shock and sadness” over the tragic accident.
“Pakistan mourns the loss of a great friend […] “May Almighty Allah bless his soul and grant patience and strength to his family and the people of Iran in this time of irreparable loss,” read a statement issued by the Presidential House.
The statement also said that the Iranian president “will be deeply missed and fondly remembered in Iran, Pakistan and the Islamic world for his efforts to improve relations with regional and Islamic countries.”
Underlining that the late Iranian Head of State “had a special place for Pakistan and its people”, Zardari recalled his commitment to strengthening bilateral relations between the neighboring countries.
“President Raisi will be deeply missed and fondly remembered in Iran, Pakistan and the Islamic world,” the statement added, highlighting the Iranian head of state's support for Muslims, especially the Palestinian and Kashmiri people.
Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also expressed grief and conveyed condolences over the fatal accident.
“I express my deepest condolences to the government and citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran. […] “All Pakistanis are saddened by this tragic incident and equally share the pain of their Iranian brothers and sisters,” Bilawal said in a statement.
It is pertinent to know that Islamabad and Iran held productive talks and agreed to advance bilateral cooperation in multiple areas, including trade, connectivity, energy and people-to-people contacts, during President Raisi's three-day visit to Pakistan in April.
During his three-day visit to the country, the Iranian president met President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, Senate President Yusuf Raza Gilani , and the president of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. and the chief ministers and governors of Sindh and Punjab.
The head of state visited Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi accompanied by his wife and a high-level delegation, consisting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and other members of the cabinet, senior officials and a large business delegation.
