- Baloch Liberation Army claims custody of seven Pakistani security personnel
- BLA issues a seven-day deadline for prisoner exchange with Pakistan
- Group warns detainees may face execution if talks fail within deadline
The separatist militant group the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed it is holding seven members of Pakistan's security forces in custody and has 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 ultimatum emerged in a statement issued by Hakkal, the media wing of the organisation, alongside the release of a video message, which the group says that six days remain before the deadline expires.
The claims could not be independently verified by NDTV, and there has been no immediate official response from Pakistan's military or government authorities.
According to the BLA, the detainees were captured during what it describes as the second phase of "Operation Herof". The group said its fighters had detained a total of 17 personnel belonging to Pakistani security forces across different operational fronts during the operation.
The organisation stated that ten of those detained were released following warnings because they were identified as ethnic Baloch and linked to local police.
The group said the decision to release those individuals was taken in consideration of what it described as "ground realities", local identity, and the interests of the Baloch population.
The remaining seven detainees, according to the BLA statement, are members of regular units of the Pakistani army. The organisation said these individuals remain in its custody and were subjected to proceedings conducted by what it calls a Baloch National Court.
The group claimed that during those proceedings, the detainees faced charges including involvement in actions against civilian populations, aiding and abetting enforced disappearances, and participation in what the organisation referred to as "genocide" against the Baloch people. It said that during the hearings the accused were given opportunities to respond to the allegations, evidence was presented, and confessional statements were recorded.
"Baloch Liberation Army believes that even in war situations, principles, rules and mutual responsibilities exist. Now the decision rests with occupying Pakistani state whether it takes serious steps to protect lives of its personnel or prefers death of its rented personnel by adopting silence and indifference as usual," the BLA said in a statement.
Despite announcing convictions and a death sentence, the BLA said it had decided to provide Pakistan with a seven-day grace period. The group said that if the Pakistani state formally expressed willingness during this period to exchange prisoners of war, the seven detainees could be swapped in return for the release of Baloch prisoners held by Pakistani authorities.
The organisation said it had previously offered exchanges on several occasions but alleged that Pakistani authorities had not pursued them and had ignored the lives of their personnel.
Pakistan has consistently rejected the characterisation of its presence in Balochistan as "occupation" and regards the BLA as a terrorist organisation. The separatist group is banned in Pakistan and has also been designated a terrorist entity by several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
