Bugti announces ‘general amnesty’ for Baloch separatists willing to join mainstream politics

QUETTA: Newly elected Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has urged Baloch insurgents to abandon violence and join the mainstream politics, saying the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led government is going to announce a “general amnesty” to resolve the issue through dialogue.

“Many assassination attempts were made on my life but I have forgiven all those [elements] as there is no flame of revenge in my heart," the provincial chief executive said while talking to host Saleem Safi in Geo News programme Jirga aired at 10pm on Sunday.

"Although I am in power, it does not mean that I start settling personal scores... I did not have any personal feud with anyone," he added.

Bugti, who served as caretaker interior minister in the Centre before the February 8 elections, said he always stood by the state in its fight against separatists and lost his relatives, friends and colleagues in the conflict. "But despite this, I don’t have any revenge in my heart."

The chief minister said he wanted the resolution of Balochistan insurgency through dialogue and his government was ready to hold dialogue with anyone ready for it.

"We are announcing a general amnesty and reviving a peaceful Balochistan policy under which we will try that they [insurgents] become part of mainstream politics," he said.

CM Bugti also warned that if the Baloch insurgents don’t become part of the mainstream and abandon violence, then he "has no other option but to establish the writ of the state".

However, the CM refused to share the details of "general amnesty", saying he would elaborate on the policy once things are finalised.

Responding to a question regarding what steps are being taken to ensure the recovery of missing persons, CM Bugti said the count of missing persons was "dicey". He said the federal government had formed a commission on missing persons which resolved 80% of the cases. "I am not giving any justification as there is no justification even if a single person is missing," he added. The CM also said a "serious insurgency" was going against the state in Balochistan with around 70,000 to 80,000 people having lost their lives in terror incidents in the country. Many missing persons are killed in the terrorist incidents, he added.

Bugti further said Baloch separatists launched an insurgency against the state and sabotaged peace in the province.

"They rebelled against the state in a bid to disintegrate Pakistan. This issue is not only in Pakistan but the entire world."

According to statistics released by the Islamabad-based think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), militant attacks in Balochistan spiked by 72% in February compared to January, totalling 57 attacks resulting in 42 deaths and 72 injuries. January had witnessed 33 attacks, leading to 31 fatalities and 50 injuries.