Pakistan forces poised to defeat rebels: Musharraf

Quetta (Pakistan), May 10: Pakistani forces are on the verge of wiping out separatist militant camps in the gas-rich province of Baluchistan, President Pervez Musharraf said today, while reiterating a rebel amnesty offer.

Musharraf, on his first visit to one of the province's main rebel hot spots since government forces killed a prominent nationalist leader in the region in August, said the government would not tolerate terrorism.

''Only three to four rebel camps are left. We will wipe them out too,'' Musharraf, wearing a big Baluch turban, told a rally in Sui town, 720 km southwest of the capital, Islamabad.

Sui is the centre of the gas industry in Pakistan's main gas-producing province. It provides about 45 per cent of the country's gas needs.

Baluch nationalist rebels have been fighting for decades for a larger share of the profits from the resources of Pakistan's biggest but poorest province.

They have attacked gas, transport and other energy infrastructure as well as security forces and other government targets.

Repeating an amnesty offer, Musharraf said the government would take no action against rebels if they laid down their arms.

''They are our brothers and sisters. I urge them to surrender their arms. No action will be taken against them if they do so,'' he said.

''Give up weapons and terrorism; otherwise the law will take its course. We will not allow terrorism''.

In August last year, the army killed veteran Baluch nationalist leader Nawaz Akbar Khan Bugti in an offensive on his mountain hideout.

Musharraf made no reference to Bugti, a former governor of the province of deserts and mountains which borders Afghanistan, Iran and the Arabian Sea.

But he announced several development projects for the province and promised more.

Baluchis complain of a lack of political representation and say their province's resources are used to benefit Pakistan's other provinces, in particular the most populous and politically influential province, Punjab.

Reuters
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