The separatist militant group, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), has claimed it has captured several Pakistani security forces personnel, challenging the reported denial by the Pakistani military that the men are its soldiers. The BLA has released a video purportedly showing at least eight Pakistani Army personnel in its custody, as a self-declared deadline for a proposed prisoner exchange nears an end.
The latest footage, released by the group through its media wing, Hakkal, shows detained servicemen displaying their supposed official service identification cards and national identity documents to the camera and appealing to the authorities in Islamabad to help them.
The Video
“How can the army say that we are not their personnel? Whose card is this?” a man in uniform is heard asking the camera, with an ID card in hand.
“Look at my identity card; Pakistan has issued this to me…I request, for God’s sake, my father is disabled, and I am the eldest at home. Do not commit this injustice by saying that we’re not your personnel,” he pleaded to authorities in Islamabad.
“Why did you recruit me if you’re going to say that we’re not your personnel? Why are you saying the video is fake?” he added.
BLA’s Claim
Earlier this week, the rebel group had issued a seven-day deadline to the Pakistani government for a prisoner exchange, warning that the detainees could face execution if negotiations do not take place within that period. The deadline will reportedly expire on February 22.
The group had said that the detainees were captured during what it describes as the second phase of “Operation Herof.” The organisation claimed it had already released a few detainees following warnings because they were identified as ethnic Baloch and linked to local police.
