Sania Mirza prayed for Allah to show mercy and ‘give strength to the loves ones of those deceased’ after a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane carrying around 99 passengers on board fatally crashed while flying from Lahore to Karachi. The flight, an Airbus A320, crashed near the Jinnah International Airport following an alleged technical issue while it was preparing to land. The incident reportedly occurred in the housing area at the Jinnah Garden Area close to the Model Colony in Malir. The plane was reportedly ready to land before it fell on top of houses. Videos that emerged from the incident area showed thick clouds of smoke coming out from the crash site. Pakistan: PIA Flight A-320 From Lahore to Karachi Crashes Near Jinnah International Airport, Casualties Feared.

“May Allah have mercy and give strength to the loved ones of the deceased ..no amount of condolences can be enough .. Heartbreaking and so so tragic,” wrote Sania on Twitter quoting husband Shoaib Malik’s post about the same. Of the reported 99 passengers on board the flight, eight were said to be crew. PIA Flight Crash: PM Imran Khan, Shoaib Akhtar and Others From Pakistan Cricket Fraternity Condole Deaths, Offer Support to Victims.

Sania Mirza Reacts to PIA Air Mishap

Meanwhile, Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik prayed for Allah almighty to ‘bless them all’ those died following the crash. “In the midst of great suffering, we witness yet another devastating tragedy,” Malik was referring to coronavirus pandemic which has seen over three lakh people lose their lives after contracting the disease. 1067 people have died in Pakistan alone while over 50,000 have been affected by COVID-19.

Shoaib Malik Prays for Allah to Bless Families of All Deceased

“This loss will continue to remind us the sanctity of human life & the many adversities we encounter. Thoughts & prayers for their families & loved ones. May ALMIGHTY bless them all eternal peace Ameen,” he wrote in his post.

The plane was flying was from Lahore to Karachi after the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Pakistan allowed the operations of some limited domestic flights after easing some lockdown measures. According to a PIA spokesperson, "The captain informed the air traffic tower he having problems with the landing gear before disappearing from the radar.” The flight then reportedly lost contact just a minute before it crashed.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 22, 2020 08:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).