In a significant development, prominent commanders of the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and other terrorist groups have surrendered to the state, exposing decades of manipulation and exploitation by foreign powers. These confessions mark a turning point in efforts to stabilize Balochistan, a province long embroiled in unrest.
During a press conference in Quetta today, Najibullah, also known as Darwish, a former BLA commander, announced his surrender. Accompanied by provincial ministers and senior law enforcement officials, he recounted how the BLA recruited him at age 14. “I was illiterate and manipulated into plotting against Pakistan,” he admitted.
Najibullah’s Journey began in 2005 when discussions about Balochistan’s plight with BLA leaders led to his recruitment. Over the years, he joined the Baloch Republican Army’s (BRA) committee. However, after nearly two decades, he realized the militancy’s true motives. “A neighboring country was using us to destabilize Pakistan,” he revealed, referring to his experience with foreign intelligence agencies.
Najibullah exposed the hypocrisy within the banned organizations. He accused leaders like Dr. Allah Nazar Baloch and Bashir Zaib of exploiting young recruits while living luxuriously abroad. “These so-called leaders enjoy lives of comfort overseas while sacrificing the youth of Balochistan,” he said. He highlighted that the families of these leaders reside in countries like France, Malaysia, and Oman.
The internal strife within the terrorist organizations also fractured its ranks. Najibullah described how factionalism led to splinter groups, further weakening the groups.
Najibullah’s surrender is part of a broader trend. Abdul Rashid, another former militant, shared his story of being influenced by BLF leaders in 2009. “I am happy to have returned to my country,” he said.
In December 2023, Sarfaraz Bangulzai, alias Murid Baloch, a commander of the Baloch Nationalist Army (BNA), surrendered alongside 70 companions. Bangulzai admitted to heinous crimes “in the name of nationalism” and criticized militant leaders for their anti-peace agenda. “India is behind all acts of terror in Balochistan,” he claimed, urging youth to reject violence.
Both Najibullah and Bangulzai pointed fingers at India’s intelligence agencies for fueling terrorism in Balochistan. These allegations have further strengthened calls to end foreign interference in the region.
The militancy’s human cost has been devastating. Najibullah spoke of missing companions and the abduction of figures like Mahmoud Aam Dil Marri. These incidents illustrate the brutality within the militant ranks, which have targeted not only state institutions but also their people.
Since 2013, thousands of Baloch militants have laid down their arms, signaling a significant change in the dynamics of the long-running militancy in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. The government’s amnesty and reconciliation program has played a pivotal role in this shift, offering incentives such as financial compensation, employment opportunities, education, and security guarantees to former militants who abandon violence.
Between 2015 and 2017 alone, over 1,300 militants surrendered under this initiative, with a notable surge in April 2017. During that month, approximately 500 militants—among them key commanders from prominent separatist groups like the Baloch Republican Army (BRA), Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), and Lashkar-i-Balochistan—formally renounced violence at a ceremony in Quetta. Since the program’s launch, the total number of surrenders has been around 1,500.
Insiders and observers attribute this trend to growing disillusionment among militants with their leaders, many of whom reportedly lead comfortable lives abroad while exploiting local recruits to fuel the conflict. Former fighters have expressed frustration over being misled by the promise of a “noble cause,” only to witness the disparity between their harsh realities and their leaders’ luxurious lifestyles overseas.
“I joined the movement to fight for our rights, but I realized that the leaders were just using us,” said one former militant who recently surrendered. “Our leaders live in foreign countries, enjoying wealth and safety, while we are left to suffer and die.”
The amnesty program’s emphasis on reintegration has also been instrumental in persuading militants to abandon militancy. The government aims to give these individuals a pathway back into society by providing financial aid, vocational training, and education.
>As the government continues its reconciliation campaign, this may be the only way to end decades of conflict and bring lasting peace to the region.
