ISLAMABAD, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- In an attempt to woo insurgents to quit militancy, Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province said Friday that militants who voluntarily surrendered to security forces will get financial assistance from the government.

Distributing money among a batch of militants who bade farewell to terrorism and vowed to make efforts for development of the country, Zulfiqar Bajwa, a senior army officer, said the government will protect all the people who will lay arms and quit insurgency, according to local media.

Bajwa said that because of joint efforts of the government and other law-enforcement agencies, a large number of anti-state militants had surrendered their arms and joined hands with the government.

At the ceremony held in Dera Bugti district of the province, 132 former militants including commanders surrendered to security forces.

Militants have been surrendering arms and pledging alliance to the country since 2017, and so far over 1,000 militants surrendered in ceremonies held by the provincial government.