CM Bugti announces 'general amnesty' for Baloch separatists willing to join mainstream politics

• Many assassination attempts were made on my life: CM Bugti.
• Says no intention of seeking revenge, vows to promote talks.
• Sarfraz Bugti says the missing person subject is "dicey".

Newly elected Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has urged Baloch insurgents to abandon violence and join mainstream politics, saying the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led government is going to announce a “general amnesty” to resolve the issue through dialogue.

“Many assassination attempts were made on my life but I have forgiven all those [elements] as there is no flame of revenge in my heart," the provincial chief executive said while speaking on Geo News programme Jirga aired at 10pm on Sunday. 

"Although I am in power, it does not mean that I start settling personal scores... [and] I did not have any personal feud with anyone," he added.

Bugti, who served as caretaker interior minister at Centre before the February 8 elections, said he always stood by the state in its fight against separatists and lost his relatives, friends and colleagues in the conflict.

"But despite this, I don’t have any revenge in my heart."

The chief minister said he wanted the resolution of the Balochistan insurgency via dialogue and his government is ready to hold dialogue with anyone ready to rid of violence. 

"We are announcing a general amnesty and reviving a peaceful Balochistan policy under which we will try that they [insurgents] become part of mainstream politics," he said.

CM Bugti also warned that If the Baloch insurgents don’t become part of the mainstream and abandon violence then he "has no other option but to establish a writ of the state".

However, the CM refused to share the details of "general amnesty", saying he would elaborate on the policy once things are finalised.

Missing person is 'dicey subject'

Responding to a question regarding what steps being taken to ensure the recovery of missing persons, CM Bugti said the count of missing persons is "dicey".

He said the federal government had formed a commission on missing persons, which he said resolved 80% of the cases. "I am not giving any justification as there is no justification even if a single person is missing," he added. 

The CM also said a "serious insurgency" is going against the state in Balochistan with around 70,000 to 80,000 people have lost their lives in terror incidents in the country.

Many missing persons are killed in the terrorist incidents, he added.

Bugti further said Baloch separatists launched an insurgency against the state and sabotaged the peace in the province. "They rebelled against the state in a bid to disintegrate Pakistan. This issue is not only in Pakistan but the entire world."

According to statistics released by the Islamabad-based think tank —  Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) — significant escalation was witnessed in violence in Balochistan in February 2024.

The report attributes the surge in Balochistan's violence to terror groups such as BLA, BLF, BRAS, etc, targeting the election process and related activities, warning against public participation.

In Balochistan, militant attacks spiked by 72% in February compared to January, totalling 57 attacks resulting in 42 deaths and 72 injuries. January had witnessed 33 attacks, leading to 31 fatalities and 50 injuries.