BLA captures 17 Pakistani soldiers, gives 7-day ultimatum to government to free Baloch prisoners for their release

New Delhi: The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claims to have captured 17 Pakistani soldiers as part of its operation, Operation Herof 2.0. Ten of these soldiers have been released. These soldiers are said to be of Baloch origin and were associated with local police or related organizations. They were released with a warning. The remaining seven soldiers are regular soldiers of the Pakistani Army. Giving the Pakistani government a seven-day ultimatum, the group has clarified that they will only be released if the Baloch prisoners are released. If concrete action is not taken within this period, the death penalty may be imposed on the detained soldiers.

Second phase of Operation Herof

Ziyand Baloch, spokesperson for the BLA’s media wing, ‘Haqqal,’ has described this operation as the second phase of Operation Herof. He said that these soldiers were tried in the Baloch National Court, where they were charged with serious crimes against Baloch civilians and involvement in the genocide of the Baloch people. During the hearing, the soldiers were given an opportunity to present their case, present evidence, and record statements.

Warning to the Pakistani Government

The BLA has set a seven-day (one week) deadline for the Pakistani government. If Pakistan does not initiate a prisoner exchange process for the release of Baloch individuals captured during this period (whom the BLA claims have been disappeared by security agencies), the court’s sentence will be implemented. The BLA has alleged that Pakistan has failed to act on such exchange proposals in the past.

Cases of long-term disappearances

Cases of long-term disappearances have been in the news in Balochistan. Many families claim that their members were abducted by Pakistani security agencies during raids and have not been heard from since. These cases are said to be particularly related to areas like Panjgur and Karachi. Families are continuously protesting and demanding justice with photographs of their loved ones, but no concrete information has been received yet. Currently, there has been no official statement from the Pakistani government or military on this claim or timeline. This incident could escalate tensions between the ongoing separatist conflict and security forces in Balochistan.