QUETTA: The government of Balochistan has made an appeal to all Baloch separatist groups to bring a halt to attacks in earthquake-affected areas of the province.

The death toll from a massive earthquake that jolted southwest Pakistan on Tuesday has risen to 356, with officials saying that thousands have been left homeless and about 300,000 people had been affected in remote parts of the province.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday night, Jan Muhammad Buledi, the Spokesman for Balochistan government said attacks at security forces in Awaran district was affecting relief and rescue operation in the area.

“People will die of hunger, if the attacks continued,” Buledi said. He said the Baloch separatists must stop attacks in view of the miserable plight of the earthquake survivors in the area.

“Women and children are in desperate need of help,” he said.

Buledi's appeal has come after rocket attack at the helicopter carrying chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Major General Alam Saeed and firing at a convoy of Frontier Corps (FC) earlier on Thursday.