Rehman Malik's helicopter makes emergency landing

Interior Minister Rehman Malik escaped unhurt on Thursday when a helicopter he was travelling in made an emergency landing after developing technical problems in Balochistan province of southwest Pakistan.

The pilot made an emergency landing in Dera Allah Yar region of Balochistan, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry told the media. The nature of the technical problems could not immediately be ascertained.

Malik and all others in the helicopter were safe, the spokesman said.

An inquiry has been ordered into the incident, he said. The incident came two days after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, several federal ministers and a senior army general had a narrow escape when their aircraft made emergency landings in two separate places, causing a minor scare.

A special aircraft carrying Gilani and other federal ministers made an emergency landing  shortly after taking off from a military airbase in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on Tuesday as it had developed technical problems.

In the other incident on Tuesday, a senior Pakistan Army general and several other personnel had a narrow escape when a military helicopter made an emergency landing after developing technical problems in the northwestern Mohmand tribal region.