BNA chief says farewell to arms

Urges Baloch insurgents to follow suit, adopt peaceful life

QUETTA:

A key militant commander and the chief of the banned militant organisation Baloch National Army (BNA), Gulzar Imam alias Shambay, on Tuesday urged all insurgents operating in the province to surrender and adopt a peaceful life, saying that rights could only be achieved through political and constitutional struggle.

"I seek apology from the family members of all those who were martyred during my tenure as an active (BNA) commander," the repentant militant commander told the media along with Home Minister Ziaullah Langove and other government officials at the Sikandar Jamali Auditorium, Civil Secretariat.

Shambay was arrested in a high-profile intelligence-based operation in April. He was considered to be one of the key militant commanders operating in the Makran belt of Balochistan.

At the time of his arrest, the Inter-Services Public Relations had said, “Gulzar Imam alias Shambay was apprehended after an innovatively conceived, carefully planned and meticulously executed operation, spanned over months over various geographical locations.”

The military’s media wing, however, did not disclose the location from where Shambay was apprehended.

Shambay belongs to the Parom area of Panjgur district of Balochistan and was involved in a series of terrorist activities in the Makran belt.

In captivity, he said, he thoroughly realised the armed struggle and reached a decision that only political and constitutional struggle offered solutions to issues related to Balochistan.

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“The only way to achieve Baloch rights is through political and constitutional struggle," Shambay asserted, rejecting all sorts of armed struggles.

When asked about foreign support, he said, “In such situations, militant organisations get support from abroad as well.”

In his measured sentences, Shambay underlined the need for peace and paving the way for a political settlement of issues related to Balochistan.

"[As] I remained a contractor, [I have witnessed that] corruption is also one of the key factors behind the unrest in Balochistan," he said.

The military's media wing elaborated that the BNA has been responsible for dozens of violent terrorist attacks in Pakistan, including those on law enforcement agencies (LEAs) installations in Panjgur and Noshki.

Shambay was a "deputy to Brahamdagh Bugti in the Baloch Republican Army (BRA) till 2018 and was instrumental in the formation of Baloch Raji Aajoi Sangar (BRAS) and remained its operational head", according to the statement.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took to his official Twitter handle to congratulate the nation on Shambay’s arrest.

Shehbaz said, “Congratulations to Pakistan for nabbing one of the most high profile militant leaders, the founder & head of BNA: Gulzar Imam [alias] Shambay.

“My appreciation to the Security Forces for their untiring efforts to restore peace. DG ISI deserves the nation’s highest commendation for carrying out, with great sophistication, the first of its kind & the most complex intelligence operations involving various geographical locations.

“Pakistan, especially Balochistan, are well on way to peace & prosperity, Insha’Allah.”