QUETTA: The Balochistan government, in an effort to entice insurgents to lay down arms, has offered a monthly stipend of Rs10,000 to each militant willing to surrender.

It has also decided to pay compensation by Jan 31 to the heirs of victims of Jan 10’s terrorist attacks.

The decisions were made at a meeting of the high-level apex committee constituted to resolve problems being faced by the province. The meeting was presided over by Balochistan Governor Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi and attended by Commander of Southern Command, Lt Gen Muhammad Alam Khattak, Chief Secretary Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad, Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durrani, IG of Frontier Constabulary Maj Gen Obaidullah Khattak and IG of police Tariq Omer Khattab.

The meeting reviewed the law and order situation in Balochistan.

Official sources said that the meeting decided that the government would ensure the welfare of surrendering militants and provide them maximum facilities.

They said that the government was already providing stipend to the people of Dera Bugti who had dissociated themselves from militancy.

The governor directed law enforcement agencies and administrations of the districts to implement ban on carrying weapons and take strict action against the people violating the ban.

Meanwhile, the governor, who is chief executive of the province after imposition of governor’s rule, presided over another meeting that reviewed progress of work on development projects.

The Additional Chief Secretary of Planning and Development, Muhammad Aslam Shakir, briefed the governor on the Public Sector Development Programme.

He said that under the PSDP, Rs360 billion was being spent on 1,452 projects in different parts of the province.