QUETTA, Sept 30: Two rockets, reportedly fired by Baloch militants, landed yards away from Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik and senior civil and military officials in Awaran on Monday and damaged a vehicle and walls of a government building.

The incident was seen here as a part of the militants’ plan to obstruct rescue and relief operation in the areas affected by this month’s earthquake and aftershocks in Awaran district. Officials here said army and Frontier Corps and government functionaries had come under constant pressure from the militants who appear to be bent on getting relief work stopped.

They said two rockets exploded on the premises of the Judicial Complex where Dr Malik and senior civil and military officials were present.

“The chief minister was at a place about 400 yards away from where rockets landed,” senior police officer Rafiq Lasi told Dawn. “Militants had fired the rockets at a brief interval at around 6.30 am.”

Dr Malik said: “Life and death is in the hands of God. I am not scared of such incidents and would remain in Awaran till completion of relief work.”

One rocket hit a residential quarter and damaged a vehicle of the education department. “The driver who had left the vehicle remained unhurt,” Mr Lasi said.

“The target of the attack could be the places where the army and FC have stored relief goods reaching Awaran for distribution among the affected people,” one official said.

The outer walls of the Judicial Complex were damaged but there was no casualty or any major damage, he said.

A police official said that it appeared that rockets were fired from a place 12 to 15 kilometres away. Security arrangements were reviewed by officials concerned after the attack.

According to reports from quake-hit areas of Mashkay, armed men set on fire tents, foodstuff and other relief goods distributed by FC personnel. A senior official said they had received such reports and the local administration was confirming it.

The Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR) said army and FC troops taking part in relief operation had been attacked in Mashkay. The director-general of the ISPR said at least four attacks on army personnel had been repulsed while helicopters engaged in ferrying relief goods had come under rocket attack and gunfire.

But despite the attacks, he said, army was doing its job and would continue to distribute relief goods among affected people.Meanwhile, NGOs and local people put the death toll at 600 and 700 but officials say that casualty is lesser than that.

According to sources, the provincial government in collaboration with NGOs has formed the Awaran Disaster Response Forum which has reached Awaran to take part in rescue and relief work.

“The provincial government and the NGOs have evolved a mechanism for smooth distribution of relief goods,” sources said. Chief Minister Malik will supervise the operation in Awaran.

Saleem Baloch of Action-Aid, who is in the quake-hit areas with a workers’ team and relief goods, confirmed the torching of goods in Malar area of Mashkay.

The chief minister met groups of local people on Monday and assured them that the federal and provincial governments would help the affected people. “Pakka houses will be constructed in place of mud-houses in the affected areas of Awaran district,” he said.

He said that relief goods were reaching the affected areas of Awaran and 20,000 tents sent by the national and provincial disaster management authorities would soon be distributed.