QUETTA: The Balochistan government has made a formal request to the federal government for allowing foreign aid agencies to support earthquake affectees in Awaran, the most backward and sparsely populated district of the militancy-hit province.

Chief Minister Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch told Dawn.com on Tuesday that his government has written a letter to the federal government in Islamabad in this regard. “We cannot completely rehabilitate the quake affectees without the support of international donor organisations,” he said.

Balochistan government's formal request has come a day after the France-based Doctors Without Borders issued a statement on its website that it was not being allowed by the authorities to enter in the earthquake affected areas.

“Our doctors teams are ready to go but we are yet to get permission from the authorities,” the organisation displayed the statement on its website.

The chief minister, however, assured that his government would provide security to all international donor organisations in the earthquake affected Awaran district. “We will provide protection to every individual and organisation who want to support our people,” he said.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Spokesman Adrees Mehsood has already clarified that no such assistance was required sine the authority had already provided food, shelter, medicines and other relief goods in the earthquake affected area.

However, Baloch nationalist leader Tahir Bizenjo, while addressing a press conference at Quetta Press Club, contradicted the official claim and portrayed a grim picture of earthquake survivors in Awaran.

Bizenjo stated that there was no justification for the provincial and federal governments to stop international aid agencies from supporting the earthquake survivors.

The devastating earthquake has also destroyed 191 government-run schools in the militancy hit district. According to UNICEF Education Chief, Sanaullah Khan Panezai more than 10,000 children were deprived of education owing to destruction caused by the earthquake.

Awaran is considered to be one of the most sensitive districts of Balochistan, plagued with attacks by Baloch separatists and sectarian violence.