QUETTA  -  In a major development towards restoration of peace in Balochistan, Commander of Baloch Nationalist Army (BNA) Sarfaraz Bangulzai, alias Murid Baloch, along with his 70 compan­ions on Wednesday sur­rendered to the State and joined the national mainstream.

They made the an­nouncement during a press conference here at the Sikandar Jamali Auditorium, Civil Secre­tariat. Caretaker Provin­cial Minister for Home and Tribal Affairs Cap­tain (R) Zubair Ahmed Jamali, and Caretaker Provincial Information Minister Jan Achakzai 

were also present on the occasion. “We have decided to leave the path of violence and join the national mainstream to play a con­structive role in the development of the province and the coun­try,” Bangulzai said. “I was working in the Food Department in Balochistan, had a house and a car, and was living a comfortable life, but detracted by anti-peace elements in 2009,” he added.

Bangulzai admitted that he had committed heinous crimes “in the name of nationalism”. However, he realized that the so-called insurgent leaders were anti-peace and enemies of the country as they themselves were enjoying luxurious lives abroad.

It may be mentioned here that Sarfaraz Bangulzai took over the reins of BNA after its Commander Gulzar Shambay was ar­rested, who later joined the national mainstream due to the positive response from the state institutions.

Shambay remained deputy to Brahamdagh Bugti in the Ba­loch Republican Army (BRA) till 2018, but on the creation of Baloch Raaji Ajoi Sangar (BRAS) he founded a new lethal mili­tant outfit – Baloch National Army. For being well-connected to the hostile intelligence agencies of enemy countries, including India, Shambay remained operational head of BRAS and thus was the main character behind violence and unrest in the prov­ince. His arrest was a serious blow for the militant groups, espe­cially the BNA and it encouraged others, including his second-in command Sarfraz Bangulzai to surrender before the State. Ban­gulzai told the news conference that Indian’s intelligence agen­cies were responsible for the unrest in Balochistan.

“India is behind all sabotage activities and every act of terror in the province,” he said, urging the youth to shun violence and join the peace process for the development and prosperity of the country in general and Balochistan in particular. He regretted for being involved in terror acts on the pretext of so-called of na­tionalism. However, he had a change of heart when he observed the luxurious lifestyles of self-proclaimed nationalist leaders. He said that during the last 20 years, the so-called nationalist out­fits killed thousands of innocent Baloch people. He had some dis­agreement with the leadership on certain issues, particularly ter­ror acts, and thus was sidelined, he added. Bangulzai deplored that women were being used as a weapon in the so- called rights movements, which was totally against the Baloch traditions.