<p>A Pakistani F-16 fighter jet crashed in Islamabad on Wednesday in an apparent accident during a rehearsal for an upcoming military parade in the capital, officials said.</p>.<p>There was no immediate word on the fate of the pilot or co-pilot, or details on the area the plane crashed.</p>.<p>Footage on social media showed a large plume of smoke billowing into the sky after the plane plummeted to the ground having apparently attempted a loop.</p>.<p>"Pakistan Air Force reports with regret that a PAF F-16 aircraft crashed near Shakarparian, Islamabad during the rehearsals of 23rd March parade. Rescue teams have been despatched towards the site of the crash," the air force said in a statement.</p>.<p>A second security official speaking on condition of anonymity also confirmed the crash.</p>.<p>The rehearsals were taking place before the annual military parade that is set to be held in Islamabad this month to celebrate Pakistan Day.</p>.<p>F-16 jets are among the most valuable defence hardware in the Pakistani military's arsenal. The country has a fleet of about 50 F-16s, each worth at least $40 million.</p>.<p>Pakistan has a chequered military and civilian aviation safety record, with plane and helicopter, crashes frequently over the years.</p>.<p>Wednesday's incident comes only months after a fighter jet crashed during a training mission near the city of Mianwali in eastern Punjab province, killing both pilots.</p>.<p>In July last year at least 18 people were killed when a small military plane belonging to the army crashed into a residential area in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi.</p>.<p>And in 2016 a Pakistan International Airlines plane burst into flames after one of its two turboprop engines failed while travelling from remote northern Pakistan to Islamabad, killing more than 40 people.</p>.<p>Pakistan's powerful military consumes a large portion of the country's yearly budget, spending millions on sophisticated hardware in the impoverished nation, which critics say has come at the expense of investment in other sectors.</p>
<p>A Pakistani F-16 fighter jet crashed in Islamabad on Wednesday in an apparent accident during a rehearsal for an upcoming military parade in the capital, officials said.</p>.<p>There was no immediate word on the fate of the pilot or co-pilot, or details on the area the plane crashed.</p>.<p>Footage on social media showed a large plume of smoke billowing into the sky after the plane plummeted to the ground having apparently attempted a loop.</p>.<p>"Pakistan Air Force reports with regret that a PAF F-16 aircraft crashed near Shakarparian, Islamabad during the rehearsals of 23rd March parade. Rescue teams have been despatched towards the site of the crash," the air force said in a statement.</p>.<p>A second security official speaking on condition of anonymity also confirmed the crash.</p>.<p>The rehearsals were taking place before the annual military parade that is set to be held in Islamabad this month to celebrate Pakistan Day.</p>.<p>F-16 jets are among the most valuable defence hardware in the Pakistani military's arsenal. The country has a fleet of about 50 F-16s, each worth at least $40 million.</p>.<p>Pakistan has a chequered military and civilian aviation safety record, with plane and helicopter, crashes frequently over the years.</p>.<p>Wednesday's incident comes only months after a fighter jet crashed during a training mission near the city of Mianwali in eastern Punjab province, killing both pilots.</p>.<p>In July last year at least 18 people were killed when a small military plane belonging to the army crashed into a residential area in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi.</p>.<p>And in 2016 a Pakistan International Airlines plane burst into flames after one of its two turboprop engines failed while travelling from remote northern Pakistan to Islamabad, killing more than 40 people.</p>.<p>Pakistan's powerful military consumes a large portion of the country's yearly budget, spending millions on sophisticated hardware in the impoverished nation, which critics say has come at the expense of investment in other sectors.</p>