QUETTA: Director General (DG) Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa in a press statement on Sunday stated that the security forces deployed in Awaran district and its Mashkay area were only carrying out relief operations.

The statement aimed at dispelling certain misconceptions created by some media reports, which stated that operations were being conducted against militants in these areas.

“There is no military operation in Awaran and Mashkay as is being propagated by miscreants,” said the statement.

Major General Bajwa stated that despite repeated attacks by miscreants on troops, the security forces have exercised utmost restraint and concentrated on relief work.

He further said that the army was determined to carry out relief efforts in these areas despite repeated attacks on relief convoys.

He also warned the general public to beware of propaganda stirred by miscreants, and invited the media to visit Awaran and Mashkay in order to witness the situation on ground for themselves.

A recent militant attack at a relief convoy left 12 soldiers injured, while another roadside Improvised Explosive Device (IED) killed six soldiers earlier this month who were distributing humanitarian aid to the quake-stricken people of Awaran.

On Sept 30, a convoy of the Chief Minister of Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch also escaped a rocket attack in Awaran as he was on his way to a camp office set up to carry out relief efforts.

Awaran is considered one of the most sensitive and troubled districts of Balochistan. According to the chief minister, Awaran has had no government for the past decade, which has led to miscreants trying their best to compromise relief efforts in the area.