Four hundred Baloch separatists have surrendered at a ceremony held on the occasion of Independence Day, here on Friday. The ceremony was held at Quetta Police Lines which was attended by Commander Southern Command, Lieutenant General Muhammad Nasser Khan Janjua, Home Minister Balochistan, Mir Sarfraz Bugti, Provincial Minister for Irrigation, Nawab Jangez Marri, Home Secretary, Cap Akbar Hussain Durrani (Retd), Inspector General Police Balochistan, Aamlish Khan and senior military and civil officials and tribal elders.
The separatists put their weapons one by one on a table decorated with Pakistan National Flag and each of them received Pakistan National Flag and flowers from the children standing there. The separatists surrendered expressed their emotions and feelings. They vowed that they would never fight against the state. "We will remain peaceful and loyal to Pakistan and will live rest of the life as a Pakistani national," they said.
Addressing the ceremony, Commander Southern Command, Lieutenant General Muhammad Nasser Khan Janjua said that militants should join mainstream for the bright future of people of Pakistan. "All militants should have to leave their fight against the state in order to join mainstream as progress and prosperity of Balochistan and development of their people links to the restoration of peace," he said.
He said that the militants who surrendered on the occasion of Independence Day showed a great wisdom. "Now Balochistan is going to become a peaceful and economically thriving province of the country," he said. He said that the militants surrendered followed a positive thought. Home Minister, Mir Sarfraz Bugti said that terrorists would not be allowed to damage the peace of Balochistan. "The militants have been given a chance to surrender to live a peaceful life," he said, adding that he forgave those who even killed his beloved ones. He said that Baloch people love Pakistan and they are loyal and patriot Pakistanis.