Reality Of Relief Efforts In Balochistan

Awaran is a district of Balochistan that was hit by 7.7 magnitude earthquake on 24^th of September, 2013. The aftershocks were even scarier for the population that was affected by earthquake; reports say that 125,000 out of 3000,000 inhabitants of the district suffered because of this natural catastrophe. Those who don’t know much about this area will be amazed to know that Awaran is one of the most underdeveloped districts of Balochistan. According to Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority’s (ERRA) estimates, this disaster took 375 lives, left more than 825 injured and twenty five thousand houses completely destroyed. Right after the disaster, as always, Army was deployed for the relief efforts immediately. According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), One thousand Army personnel from Quetta and Khuzdar reached the affected areas and began relief work within few hours. Army units from Karachi also rushed to the affected areas for timely provision of medical aid. Dozens of people were trapped under the rubble of their collapsed houses; yet important to highlight that because of immediate rescue operation many lives were saved.

Pakistan Army, along with FC (Frontier Corps), promptly acted as asked by the government. Army, FC and PAF operated in a closely coordinated “Relief &Rescue” joint operation.  PAF C-130, dropped huge amount of relief goods, a sigh of relief to affected inhabitants. It is true that the FC components located in the area were also struck due to this high scale earthquake but even though they were the first ones to respond to the situation with a full sense of responsibility without any hesitation. Even before the collection points were established in, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Karachi and Islamabad; they distributed their own rations that was around 500 tons; they distribute tents, sleeping bags, mattresses, bed sheets, blankets, clean cloths, cooking utensils, bathroom items, medicines, and other commodities of most common use. Around 2,500 Army personnel and 1,000 FC personnel were part of the relief efforts, these relief efforts continued even during the Eid days including a unit of Army lady officers was also deployed to help earthquake victims. By the end of the Eid holidays, 24 relief sorties of C-130 and 240 helicopter sorties had flown, completing over 526 flying hours. a field hospital in Awaran and six mobile medical camps at far-flung localities were also established by the Army. Where more than 8,000 local patients were been treated, besides that  7,000 tons of food items were delivered and 37,000 tents were distributed by the Army besides thousands of school books, stationery items along with sports gear.

Sadly, the relief efforts were been politicized and its reason was “militarized”. The militants and their collaborators along with the help of hostile neighbor countries and agencies violently started opposing the relief activities by the Army and FC. Whether it was a war of words, or a war of weapons, without any distinction they sabotage the relief efforts. The militants repeatedly attacked Pakistan security forces personnel during relief work. According to reports, during first twenty attacks, six security forces personnel embraced martyrdom and leave more than one dozen seriously injured. They were heavily equipped with foreign funded weapons and sadly are still actively working against Pakistan army. The relief work was badly affected by these militants yet army is still working hard to maintain the law and order situation along with relief work. The noble acts and activities are continuously opposed and relief work was not only attacked by rockets and machine guns but also Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) by the militants. I appreciate the efforts of Pakistan Army but I also believe that it has become VERY necessary for Law Enforcement agencies and security forces to deal with these militants ruthlessly in order to maintain law and order situation so that they ‘dare’ not disturb the relief efforts or any other development projects. Remember, Prosperous Balochistan is the key of successful Pakistan!