Death of Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq

1988 PAF C-130B crash

A Bangladesh Air Force C-130B, similar to the aircraft involved
Accident
Date	17 August 1988
Summary	Crashed after takeoff; disputed cause
Site	Near Bahawalpur Airport, Sutlej River
Aircraft
Aircraft type	Lockheed C-130B Hercules
Operator	Pakistan Air Force
Registration	23494
Flight origin	Bahawalpur Airport, Pakistan
Destination	Islamabad Airport, Pakistan
Occupants	30
Passengers	17
Crew	13
Fatalities	30
Survivors	0

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, the sixth president of Pakistan, died in an aircraft crash on 17 August 1988 in Bahawalpur near the Sutlej River. Zia's close assistant Akhtar Abdur Rehman, American diplomat Arnold Lewis Raphel and 27 others also died upon impact.

This article is part of a series about Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
Early life Zia administration Policies Hudud Ordinances Islamization Economic policy Ziaism Chief of the Army Staff Military coup 1978 massacre at Multan Colony Textile Mills Gang of Four President of Pakistan Presidency 1984 referendum 1985 parliamentary elections Amendments to the Constitution of Pakistan VIII X Ordinance XX Ojhri Camp disaster Zakat Council Death Shafi-ur-Rehman Commission A Case of Exploding Mangoes Gallery: Picture, Sound, Video
v t e

Zia's death was officially announced a few hours later on Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television Network by Ghulam Ishaq Khan, the Chairman of the Senate, who assumed presidency. Zia's state funeral took place at the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, drawing around a million mourners.