70 BLA insurgents say farewell to arms

Commander says they were used by so-called Baloch leaders

QUETTA: A Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) commander along with 69 comrades laid down arms before the provincial government, vowing to join the mainstream and work for the development of the province as well as the whole country.

“The state has been playing its role as a mother and cuddling the disgruntled fighters,” said former provincial home minister Senator Sarfraz Bugti while addressing a ceremony at the Frontier Corps Headquarter on Tuesday.

Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar, Minister for Home and Tribal Affairs Saleem Khosa, Sector Commandant FC Balochistan Brigadier Tasawur, Chief of Marri Tribe Changez Marri and government officials were present.

Bugti said, “We have to take action against those elements, who have taken blood money from hostile agencies to destabilise peace in Balochistan.”

Daran Marri and his band of 69 separatists surrendered.

“For decades we were being used by the so-called Baloch leaders, who themselves were living abroad, but pushed us into a dirty war against the state,” said the BLA commander, adding that the reality had come before us and now “we will work for the betterment of Pakistan and Balochistan”.

“We had picked up arms against the state on the orders of leaders being paid by Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the Indian government, but now we will defend Pakistan,” said Marri, calling on other fighters to join the mainstream as well.

Welcoming the Baloch fighters, Senator Bugti said, “Our brothers, who took shelter in the mountains, joined the mainstream and more will skip war against the state.”

He said that despite their fault, the government welcomed them with open arms.

“Peace has been restored in Balochistan after the sacrifices rendered by our martyrs. The province is moving towards development and with unity our enemies will taste defeat,” said Bugti, slamming the Baloch leaders luring innocent people into waging war against the state.

He said the people of Balochistan were supporting nationalists, who believed in democracy and participated in the national elections, and had rejected the so-called nationalists, who were distracting them.

“Compared to the previous years, Pakistan has gained major achievements in restoring peace as the armed forces have played a colossal role in maintaining law and order in Balochistan,” the senator added.