The plane went missing after take-off in the country's north with around 47 people on board.Pakistani TV channels reported the plane took off from the city of Chitral but lost contact with ground control shortly afterwards.

The aircraft, operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) then crashed in the north-west.

Witnesses have described seeing burning bodies as authorities reveal they do not expect to find survivors from flight PK-661.

Taj Muhammad Khan, a government official based in the Havelian region, told Reuters: "All of the bodies are burned beyond recognition.

"The debris is scattered."

Mr Khan, who was at the site of the crash, added that witnesses told him "the aircraft has crashed in a mountainous area, and before it hit the ground it was on fire".

Laiq Shah, a senior police official in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province told Reuters by telephone that the plane had crashed in that region, near the town of Havelian.

He said rescue personnel were en route to the scene.

It is believed Pakistani pop-star Junaid Jamshed may be among the dead.

The singer turned Evangelical cleric is rumoured to have been on board.