QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — The chief of the primary rebel group in southwestern Pakistan appeared earlier than cameras on Wednesday to say he has surrendered to authorities with some 70 of his followers and is giving up his yearslong combat for independence.
Sarfraz Bungulzai, who was beforehand recognized by his nom de guerre as Mureed Baluch, advised reporters in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, that he feels regret for the lethal assaults he and his Baluch National Army carried out against Pakistani security forces.
The group, additionally recognized by its acronym as BNA, has been banned by the federal government in Islamabad.
The event is a big increase for Pakistan’s authorities, which has battled militants and insurgents of varied teams throughout the nation. Earlier this yr, Pakistan top intelligence agency arrested another prominent BNA member — Gulzar Imam, additionally recognized by the title Shambay, the group’s founder.
Talking at a government-organized information convention, Bungulzai declared that he deeply regrets his function in abducting civilians for ransom and the killings of unarmed individuals. It was not clear if he spoke underneath duress, if he had been taken into custody or if he would face any prices.
The rebel chief additionally stated he determined to put down his arms after talks with authorities — however he stopped wanting saying whether or not he and people who surrendered with him had been promised amnesty.
Bungulzai additional stated he turned motivated to surrender the combat after studying that his group, the Baluch Nationwide Military, was overseas funded and had the backing of neighboring India. He didn’t provide any proof to his claims or present particulars.
There was no speedy remark from New Delhi.
Pakistan typically blames India for fomenting dissent inside Pakistan, together with the revolt in Baluchistan, the place small separatist teams have for years waged a low-scale insurgency in opposition to the state, demanding a higher share of sources or full independence from Islamabad.
Baluch separatist teams have additionally focused fuel pipelines throughout the province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan and is wealthy in oil and fuel. Bungalzai’s BNA has been behind the killing of hundreds of people there and has claimed accountability for bombings and assaults in different components of Pakistan as effectively.
In the course of the televised information convention, Bungulzai additionally urged different separatists to put down their arms and combat peacefully, via mainstream politics, for his or her rights. “The state shouldn’t be our enemy, and we have been misguided by overseas intelligence,” he stated.
There was no speedy response from the BNA to the reported give up of its chief and scores of its members.
Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar welcomed Bungulzai’s give up in an announcement on X, previously generally known as Twitter.
Baluchistan has been the scene of an insurgency by Baluch nationalists for greater than 20 years.
At this time Information High Newsmaac
