Islamabad

The renewed policy of Islamabad for Balochistan is bearing fruits as more than 2,000 suspected separatists have surrendered to security forces in last two years. In addition, around 300 handed themselves recently under a general amnesty which promises money and a government job in return, revealed National Action Plan (NAP) Review – 2017 issued by National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), highlighting steps towards reconciliation.
The effort to court Baloch separatists has been appreciated. In recent years, the government has also embarked on a strategy to address some of province‘s main grievances. The Review said hundreds of Baloch students have been granted scholarships by universities in Punjab. Separatist leader Nawabzada Gazain Marri returned to Pakistan after a decade in self-imposed exile, a development seen as another government success in soothing tensions.
Moreover, Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan initiative ensured representation of Balochistan in the country’s top institutions including army where 13,200 Baloch youths have been inducted while 580 more completed their training in December 2017. Besides Mastung, three more cadet colleges have been established in the province, 67 youth from Balochistan had been recruited in Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), three in Civil Defence Department, 68 in PWD, 70 in Utility Stores Corporation, seven in Planning and Development Division, 50 in Anti Narcotics Force (ANF) and three in Ministry of Defence.—APP