SUI, July 21: Government officials on Friday claimed that six top commanders of Nawab Akbar Bugti and 500 armed tribesmen had surrendered on Friday separately in Sii and Dera Bugti.

They said that the top six commanders had voluntarily surrendered along with 200 of their companions at a ceremony held at the Frontier Constabulary (FC) Fort in Sui on Friday, adding that 300 other tribesmen had surrendered in Dera Bugti town.

Commanders, who surrendered, were Mohammad Ismail alias Pahari, Fazal Khan Bagi Hotkani, Juma Ferozani alias Bhut Wali, Ghulam Hussain Juzjrani, Bugi Latkani, and Ungli Khan and were termed Nawab Bugti’s closest companions.

Ismail Pahari was said to be running the Toba Hutkani ‘ferrari camp’, which also served as an arsenal depot for Akbar Bugti’s private militia.

Several hundreds of tribesmen and notables of the Masori, Raheja, Nosani and Bugti tribes attended the ceremony.

The law-enforcement agencies, who had seized huge arms cache a couple of days ago during search operations in Lop Sherani and Toba Khokhani areas of Dera Bugti district, had placed it for display to the media.

DCO of Dera Bugti Abdul Samad told newsmen that intensive search operations were continuing in different parts of the Dera Bugti district.

He said that about 40 ‘ferari camps’ had been “completely smashed and during the past month about 1,000 armed men of Akbar Bugti have voluntarily surrendered to the administration”.

The DCO said that the entire district had been “cleansed of saboteurs” and, according to him, Akbar Bugti was now “struggling for his survival”.

He said situation in the district was fast returning to normal and there was “no law and order problem’’ in the district.

He said that the writ of the government had been established, adding that civil departments like judiciary, police, education and communications were being helped by the administration and the law-enforcement agencies to initiate their public welfare activities.

The DCO said that everyone surrendering voluntarily had been assured of “maximum assistance for resuming normal public life”. Each of the families, he said, would be provided 10 goats and a tractor to earn their livelihood.

He said there was a long list of heinous offences, including terrorism and anti-state activities, and “whenever Akbar Bugti is arrested, he will be tried in the court of law”.

The DCO said that the federal and provincial governments had okayed a rehabilitation plan for the Dera Bugti district and some steps had already been undertaken for development, including the area’s electrification at a cost of Rs16 million.

He said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had released a grant of Rs100 million for initiating water supply and road projects in the district.

He said that the government was also planning to set up 100 industries in the public and private sector to provide employment to the local youths.

The DCO said search operation were in progress in the Sangsilla and Bhambore areas.

He praised the security forces for securing the Sui area, the Kashmore-Sui Road and Dera Bugti towns and said that they had secured these areas after a lot of sacrifices and dedication during the past five or six months.—APP