Balochistan: over 100 militants, including commander, surrender arms in Sui

WEB DESK: In a significant development for peace and reconciliation efforts in Balochistan, more than one hundred individuals, including a prominent commander of a banned organisation, voluntarily surrendered their weapons to the state on Saturday.

The ceremony, held in Sui, Dera Bugti, saw Commander Wadera Noor Ali Chakrani and his associates laying down their arms before Mir Aftab Ahmed Bugti, the Home Minister of Balochistan. In a symbolic gesture, the former militants then raised the Pakistani flag, pledging allegiance to the state and swearing loyalty to the Constitution of Pakistan.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti presided over the event, hailing the decision of Commander Chakrani and his followers as “praiseworthy.” He personally congratulated the commander and all leaders for their choice to join the national mainstream.

“This is a clear message that the state has not closed the doors to dialogue,” Chief Minister Bugti stated, emphasizing the government’s commitment to a peace process. “The act of embracing those who lay down their weapons and accept the Constitution of Pakistan is also ongoing.”

However, Bugti simultaneously issued a stern warning to those who remain adversarial. “For anyone who mistakes the state’s leniency as weakness, there will be relentless pursuit until the very end,” he declared. He affirmed that intelligence-based operations (IBOs) against anti-state elements across the province would continue unabated.

The mass surrender marks a potential turning point in the restive region, representing a boost for the state’s policy of incentivising reconciliation while maintaining military pressure on holdout groups. This shows the government’s dual-track approach: extending an olive branch to those willing to renounce violence while vowing to combat persistent threats to national security.