National Disaster Management Authority Chairman Major General Saeed Aleem escaped a rocket attack in Balochistan on Thursday, when he was monitoring devastation in recent earthquake through a helicopter.
Unidentified militants fired two rockets at his helicopter near Mashkay area when he was monitoring the trail of disaster in 7.7 intensity quake in Awaran region of the province.
The rockets missed the target and the aircraft was unharmed.
Abdur Rasheed, Awaran deputy commissioner, said the helicopter was carrying the head of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Seeking anonymity, a security official said the militants fired two rockets at the helicopter in Mashkay tehsil of earthquake affected Awaran district.
“The NDMA chairman is safe,” the official added.
There has been no claim of responsibility for the attack.
Major General Samraiz Salik was also accompanying the NDMA chairman when rockets were fired.
Relief and rescue workers have been facing difficulties while reaching out to the earthquake survivors and security threats loom over security forces engaged in a massive relief and rescue operation in Balochistan’s Awaran district.
“There are long distances and security threats,” Jan Buledi, the Balochistan government spokesman told a TV channel.
Awaran is considered to be one of the most sensitive and troubled districts of Balochistan. It is also the hometown of Baloch guerrilla commander, Dr Allah Nazar Baloch.
Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has already made an appeal to Baloch leader Dr Allah Nazar Baloch to cooperate with aid agencies to support the earthquake survivors.
“If there was no cooperation on the part of Dr Allah Nazar, the survivors would die of hunger,” Dr Baloch said.
Security forces blame Nazar for carrying subversive activities in different parts of Balochistan.
Moreover, the defunct Baloch Liberation Front, which is known for targeting security forces and vital national installations, is also active in the area. The latest incident comes two days after the militants opened fire at a vehicle at Mashkay check post near Awaran. There was no loss of human life in either attack.
