Pakistani passenger plane crashes near Karachi

"The plane crashed in Karachi. We are trying to confirm the number of passengers but initially it is 99 passengers and eight crew members," said Abdul Sattar Khokhar, the spokesman for the country's aviation authority, adding that the flight was coming from Lahore, Aljazeera reported.

Images shown on national television showed the Pakistan International Airlines flight had smashed into a residential area.

The Pakistani army said its quick reaction force and paramilitary troops have reached the site for relief and rescue efforts alongside civil administration.

It comes just days after the country began allowing commercial flights to resume.

MNA/PR