Over 200 Baloch militants surrender in Quetta

QUETTA: More than 200 suspected militants laid down their arms and vowed to abandon violent struggle at a ceremony held at the Balochistan Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Monday. 

The suspected militants who laid down their weapons belonged to various Baloch separatist groups, said a Balochistan government spokesperson, Anwarul Haq Kakar. Kakar, however, revealed that the suspected militants laid down their weapons under the Balochistan political reconciliation policy initiated by the present coalition government.

“More than 75 militants came from Afghanistan and laid down their arms before the officials and vowed to struggle for betterment of the country and nation,” he added. Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri, Commander Southern Command, Lieutenant-General Amir Riaz, and other high-level civilian and military officials were also present on the occasion.

Zehri, while addressing the weapons-laying ceremony, urged upon the exiled Baloch leaders, including Hyrbiar Marri, Brahamdagh Bugti and Javed Mengal, to come back and abandon their violent struggle.

“Javed Mengal come back. I will receive you. Brahamdagh Bugti come back, Sarfaraz Bugti will receive you,” said Nawab Zehri.  “We were Pakistanis, we are and will remain Pakistanis,” Nawab Zehri added.   Zehri said the land of Balochistan has always forgiven its children. “Educate your children. You are now our responsibility,” Commander Southern Command, Lieutenant-General Amir Riaz, told the suspected militants adopting peaceful lives.