ISLAMABAD, Jun 10: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed deep grief and sorrow over the Pakistan Army’s MI-17 helicopter crash near Muzaffarabad.

In separate statements, the president and the prime minister extended their heartfelt sympathies to the families of those martyred in the accident.

“The entire nation pays tribute to the great sacrifice of the martyrs and shares the grief of the bereaved families,” President Asif Ali Zardari said.

Paying tribute to the personnel who embraced martyrdom in the crash, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the entire nation salutes the brave soldiers for their sacrifices.

Both leaders prayed for the elevation of the martyrs’ ranks in Jannah and for strength and patience for the bereaved families to bear the loss.