They call themselves fighters for freedom, voices of the oppressed, defenders of rights. But when Pakistan was under direct military aggression from India-when bombs fell, civilians died, and our sovereignty was tested-not a word came from them. Their silence was louder than any statement, and when they finally did speak, it wasn’t in defense of Pakistan, but in support of the very nation attacking it.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Baloch Youth Council (BYC), and their affiliates, for years, have tried to cloak themselves in the language of justice and autonomy. They’ve weaponized identity, amplified ethnic divisions, and waged war not on foreign forces, but on the Pakistani people. They bomb public spaces, kill teachers, attack soldiers, and target infrastructure-all in the name of a false liberation. But recent events have laid bare the truth: these groups are not freedom movements. They are instruments of Pakistan’s enemies.
During the most volatile escalation between India and Pakistan in years, while the world held its breath over the risk of nuclear conflict, these so-called liberators were absent. Not only did they remain mute as innocent Pakistanis died from Indian strikes, they later echoed India’s rhetoric, validating its narrative and discrediting Pakistan’s defense. This silence was not neutrality-it was complicity. And when their voices did reappear, they were not speaking for the people of Balochistan or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-they were reinforcing the position of the very state that has long funded, armed, and sheltered them.
If Pakistan were truly a terrorist state, why then would the terrorists align themselves with India?
If Pakistan were truly a terrorist state, why then would the terrorists align themselves with India? If the state were the oppressor, why would the oppressors’ so-called opposition support another nation’s offensive against its own people? These are questions that expose the hypocrisy and deception that have long surrounded these groups. They are not fighting for Pakistan’s marginalized. They are exploiting them-fueling violence, spreading hatred, and dancing to the tune of foreign agendas.
Every attack carried out by these organizations is an act of fratricide. Their bullets kill our own. Their bombs rip through our cities. Their online campaigns radicalize our youth and vilify our soldiers-the same soldiers who, while fighting at the border to defend the country, are simultaneously tasked with neutralizing the internal threats these groups pose. They use the language of human rights to mask a campaign of terror. They manipulate history, twist grievances, and sell a fantasy of independence that ends not in liberation, but in blood.
And yet, many among us fall into their trap. Some in civil society echo their narratives unknowingly. Others, perhaps opportunistically, parrot their talking points in foreign capitals and digital forums. They question the Army, condemn the state, and demand rights-but they do so while giving cover to those who kill in its name. These groups are not victims. They are perpetrators of a war against Pakistan. And those who lend them legitimacy become accomplices in a war that is costing us our peace, our unity, and our future.
The people of Balochistan, the real Baloch, deserve more than this. They deserve education, opportunity, dignity, and representation-not to be used as cannon fodder in a proxy war. Real freedom does not come from breaking Pakistan-it comes from building it. Real justice is not achieved through bombs and propaganda-but through policy, reform, and unity.
Unfortunately, politicians like Akhtar Mengal have often played both sides-using the existence of groups like BLA and BYC as bargaining chips to gain personal leverage with political parties and the establishment. While publicly condemning violence, he has been known to quietly lend sympathy or justification to separatist narratives. This double game, of appealing to nationalist sentiment while securing benefits from the system he critiques, weakens the cause of genuine reform and emboldens those who thrive on division. When leaders politicize militancy for personal or electoral gain, it is the people-especially the youth of Balochistan-who suffer.
An equally concerning example is the international campaign surrounding Mahrang Baloch. While she is portrayed in foreign media as a brave human rights defender, there is a stark disconnect between this image and the facts on the ground. Foreign governments and rights groups call for her unconditional release, labeling her as a symbol of resistance. But let us ask: in what lawful democracy does breaking the law earn you immunity simply because you are a woman? If we seek gender equality, then justice too must be equal. If a man is prosecuted for inciting unrest or enabling sedition, should a woman not be held to the same legal standard? Being female is not a license to defy the law. The elevation of Mahrang and her followers as heroes by international actors-while ignoring their links to separatist propaganda and inflammatory actions-shows clear double standards and external bias aimed at weakening Pakistan’s internal cohesion.
Pakistan has made its mistakes, like every nation. But those seeking progress must work through law, not lawlessness. Through engagement, not insurgency. Through truth, not treason. And those who stand silent in the face of war, yet speak only to condemn their own nation, reveal where their loyalty lies.
Today, it is clearer than ever. The BLA, BYC, and their kind are not revolutionaries. They are agents of destruction. They have taken up arms not for freedom-but to serve the enemies of Pakistan. They are not defenders of Balochistan-they are its destroyers. And every life lost to their violence is a life stolen from our shared future.
Let us not be confused by clever hashtags or emotional slogans. Let us not mistake betrayal for bravery. And let us never forget: those who remained silent while our country was attacked are not patriots-they are partners in aggression.
Pakistan still matters. And we, the people of this nation, must stand against all who seek to divide it-whether with drones or with lies.
The writer is Chairperson (Human Rights Functional committee, Senate)