In a video circulating on social media, shared by the region’s independent online news portal
Balochistan Several men appeared on camera showing what they said were official service cards and national identification documents, the Post quoted the group’s official channel Hakkal as saying. The men, identified by the BLA as detained military personnel, appealed to Pakistani authorities. They claimed they were officially recruited, issued official documents and assigned positions, while questioning why authorities refused to recognize their identities.
In the video, a soldier can be seen asking the Pakistan Army for help. “How can the military say we are not their personnel? Whose trump card is this?” [showing supposed identitiy card]? Is this the Army’s right? Look at my ID card, Pakistan also issued me this,” one soldier said. He continued to plead, “For the sake of God, I beg, my father is disabled and I am the elder in the family. Don’t commit this injustice by saying we are not your personnel. So since you want to say that we are not your personnel, why do you still recruit me? Why do you say the video is fake? “
However, critics have questioned the authenticity of the video.
The video comes as the BLA previously announced a seven-day deadline for prisoner exchanges involving individuals it describes as “prisoners of war.” The organization added that there were three days left until the deadline.
This follows a recent statement by the Pakistan Liberation Army that they captured a number of Pakistani military personnel in coordinated attacks in Balochistan. The group calls these operations “Operation Hrov 2.0.”
Pakistani authorities have not officially confirmed the claim. Government or military spokesmen have yet to make any statement on the number of people allegedly being held, or any official response to the BLA’s proposed exchange or deadline.