Rocket fired at NDMA chairman's helicopter in Balochistan

The NDMA chairman was in the area to monitor rescue work underway in the devastated region.


Web Desk September 26, 2013
The NDMA chairman was in the area to monitor the rescue work underway in the devastated region. PHOTO: FILE

AWARAN: The helicopter of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Major General Muhammad Saeed Aleem was targeted with rockets while it was on its way to Mashkey, Balochistan for earthquake relief work, Express News reported on Thursday.

The NDMA chairman was in the area to monitor the rescue work underway in the devastated region. Major General Aleem remained unhurt in the attack.

"Two rockets were fired on the helicopter and the target was missed," a military official in the provincial capital Quetta told AFP.

The September 24 earthquake has so far claimed around 350 lives in Balochistan, with Mashkey being one of the worst hit areas.

A senior FC officer had said that most of the stricken places in Awaran are highly risky areas for relief workers and provincial functionaries as it is a hub of Baloch nationalist militants.

Mashkey – a sub-district of Awaran - has been under the militant command of nationalist guerrilla commander, Dr Allah Nazar who has been confronting the FC and Pakistan Army for a long time.

COMMENTS (19)

US CENTCOM | 10 years ago | Reply

Should we be really surprised at this news? I guess not. Have we not seen the terrorists behave the same way during similar tragedies in 2005 Earthquake and 2010 Floods where millions of Pakistanis were affected? Terrorists will keep on their agenda to disrupt the relief work, but in the face of these multiple challenges we need to stand strong and united and do our work to bring relief to the people affected by this natural disaster. We stand by the people of Pakistan in these times of challenges and hope and pray that the people who are hurt by the earthquake are healed and their lives return to normalcy soon.

Abdul Quddus DET-United States Central Command

sterry | 10 years ago | Reply

@M. Emad: You may not know that the majority of people in Baluchistan, my relatives included are staunchly pro Pakistani. In a time of a natural disaster, only a real coward would attack a helicopter flying in to help homeless people. People have appreciated the assistance and order of the Pakistani military in Baluchistan's time of need just like Kashmiris and Sindis welcomed their selfless work in previous natural disasters. All I can see is that anti state criminals have lost any decency when they choose to attack helpers and helicopters coming to assist common Baluchis. I hope that this news item gets more attention in Baluchistan so that even more people understand the game that anti state agents are playing. This will only strengthen the image of Pakistani military among the minority of misguided activists and foreign paid agents.

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