QUETTA: Convoys of Bugti tribesman displaced from Dera Bugti district following General Pervez Musharraf’s military operation in 2005 began their return journey from Quetta, Sukkur, Hub and other parts of the country on Friday.

One convoy is led by Nawabzada Chakar Khan Bugti, grandson of the late Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, and consists of some 40 vehicles, carrying hundreds of tribesmen and their families.

“Mother of Shahzain Bugti, the provincial president of Jamhoori Watan Party, and other family members are also part of the convoy.

I am happy at going back home after eight long years,” Ghulam Ali Bugti said. His two children born in Quetta would see their native town for the first time, he added.

Some Hindu families are also returning to Dera Bugti.

The convoy from Quetta reached Dera Allahyar in Jaffarabad and left for Kashmore after a brief stay, Dhani Bakhsh, a resident of Dera Allahyar, told Dawn by telephone.

A convoy of 300 people joined people coming from Quetta.

Shahzain Bugti, also a grandson of the late Nawab Bugti, who is leading a separate convoy to Kashmore via Sukkur, told Dawn: “We are on way and will reach Kashmore sometime late in the night. Thousands of Bugti tribesmen are coming from Hub, Sukkur, Nawabshah, Multan and other areas of Sindh and Balochistan.

“Around 30,000 to 35,000 people will gather in Kashmore and leave for Dera Bugti on Saturday.”

Mir Chakar Khan Bugti said that federal and provincial governments seriously took up the internally displaced people’s (IDP) issue and were now taking steps for their rehabilitation.

The government had assured security to Bugti internally displaced people’s returning to their hometowns, he said and hoped that peace would be restored in Dera Bugti.

“We have arranged security for the convoy of Bugti tribesmen,” Asadur Rehman Gilani, provincial home secretary, told Dawn.

Provincial government had dispatched 300 tents for the IDPs going to Dera Bugti.

“The government will extend help and cooperation for the rehabilitation of the IDPs” he said.

Nawabzada Gohram Bugti, son of Nawabzada Talal Akbar Bugti, along with a convoy of tribesmen returned to Dera Bugti in July 2013.

Bugti Fort, badly damaged during the military operation, was handed back to Gohram Bugti who is residing in it.

Earlier, Shahzain Bugti and Gohram Bugti, along with their convoys, twice tried to return to Dera Bugti but were halted at Dolo checkpost by the security forces.