Call for a prisoner exchange
The detainees are appealing to Pakistan’s military leadership and government to accept the BLA’s demand for a prisoner exchange involving Baloch detainees. They are urging the authorities to open negotiations to secure their safe release.
The BLA reportedly warned that if the interviews did not take place within a specified time frame, the captives could face execution.
So far, no new response has been received from the Pakistan Army or the government regarding the latest video.
The protracted insurgency in Baluchistan
The BLA is one of the most prominent separatist militant groups operating in Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated province. The group seeks independence for the region, arguing that Islamabad is exploiting its natural resources without equitably benefiting local communities.
The Pakistani government consistently denies the allegations and labels the BLA a terrorist organization.
The release of the video adds to ongoing instability in the province, where security forces and rebel groups have engaged in sporadic clashes for years.