Home Latest News Hundreds of Baloch Rebels Surrender

Hundreds of Baloch Rebels Surrender

by AFP

Banaras Khan—AFP

Militants pledged allegiance to state of Pakistan at official ceremony in Quetta

Around 500 Baloch rebel militants on Friday surrendered to the government amid Islamabad’s push for development of Balochistan province as part of the ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Some 487 militants from four Baloch rebel organizations, including at least eight senior commanders, laid down their arms at an official ceremony in Quetta. The militants pledged their allegiance to the state of Pakistan at the ceremony, which was also attended by the provincial chief minister.

Pakistan has been battling insurgency in mineral-rich Balochistan since 2004, with hundreds of soldiers and militants killed in the fighting. A greater push toward peace and development by Pakistani authorities, including starting work on roads and infrastructure under the Chinese-assisted CPEC project—which connects Balochistan’s Gwadar to China—has reduced the violence considerably.

“These militants had killed my own son and brother but I have forgiven them. The state of Pakistan also forgives them and I welcome them to be part of Balochistan’s CPEC project,” said Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri at the ceremony. “We will arrange employment for you. Nobody will be allowed to destroy peace in the province,” he said.

Those who surrendered were members of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Balochistan Republican Army (BRA), United Baloch Army and Lashkar-e-Balochistan.

“We were misled by Brahumdagh Bugti. We have now come to know that he works for India. Why should we fight in our own country for another country,” said Sarbaz Baloch, former spokesman of BRA, who has been fighting for 15 years. Bugti is an exiled Baloch leader based in Europe who has applied for asylum in India, Pakistan’s neighbor and rival.

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