200 insurgents lay down arms in Turbat

Chief Minister Bizenjo announces Rs50m grant for new law faculty at Turbat University

QUETTA: On the occasion of 200 Baloch insurgents laying down their arms, Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo has said that the state knows how to establish its writ by taking to task those who target innocent people and try to destabilise the integrity of Pakistan.

“Citizens of Balochistan do not want any more bloodshed. They are patriots and want development,” said the Balochistan chief minister while addressing a ceremony organised for Baloch insurgents to lay down their arms in Turbat, on Thursday.

Commander Southern Command Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa, IG FC Balochistan, Minister for Mineral and Resources Akbar Askani and other senior officials were also present on the occasion.



The Baloch insurgents joined the mainstream by handing over their arms at Frontier Corps Headquarters in Turbat. The militants also included 15 commanders of banned organisations in Pakistan. They came one-by-one on the stage and handed over their weapons and in return were given a Pakistani flag and a flower.

“We are making all-out efforts to bring all disgruntled Baloch into the national mainstream so that they can play their positive role in the development of Balochistan and the country,” said CM Bizenjo.

“I feel sorry to see you in such a pathetic condition,” the chief minister told insurgents.

“Today is a great day as a number of disgruntled Baloch has re-joined the national mainstream after passing through hard times hiding in mountains,” he added.

He said that the present insurgency had destroyed one generation and left nothing but poverty and backwardness for the masses in its wake.

He said that the so-called insurgency had inflicted serious losses on the education and development sectors of the province. “State is like a mother, she will always be ready to hug her children,” he said, requesting other insurgents to throw down their weapons for development and prosperity of the country and the province.

Bizenjo said that he would continue playing his constitutional and national role for the development of Balochistan as long as he remains in the government. He also announced financial support for the insurgents who laid down their weapons.

The insurgents regretted their anti-state activities in the past and promised to remain loyal to Pakistan in the future.

So far more than 8,000 militants have surrendered in Balochistan, and committed to play their role in the development of the country.

Ceremony

The chief minister announced a grant of Rs50 million for the establishment of a law faculty at Turbat University. He also declared Tump and Dasht as new districts of the province and said the provincial cabinet would soon approve of them.

He stated this while addressing a ceremony for distribution of laptops among the boys and girls under the Youth Mobilisation Programme.

Bizenjo said that he was happy that he was distributing laptops to the shining students of Kech.

He urged the students to focus on education as the province was already lagging behind in such a crucial sector. “We need to work hard day and night for the development of our province,” he added.