By: Babar Yousufzai
First and foremost, as a son of this soil, I want to express my deepest condolences and constant solidarity with the families of those brave souls who were martyred in the recent suicide attack in Bajaur.
These were innocent lives lost to a cowardly act of terrorism. In this regard, we mourn them; we must also reassert our commitment to resist and expose the forces who perpetrate these acts both from within and beyond our borders.
In this sense, we have once again seen the resurgence of a well-orchestrated propaganda campaign on social media which I call Fitna Al-Hindustan, which aims to malign Pakistan’s state institutions and twist facts to suit a malicious narrative funded and engineered by foreign intelligence agencies, particularly RAW.
Furthermore, a recent case has become a textbook example of this. The name Zeshan Zaheer may sound familiar to those following recent developments.
He was portrayed by certain circles as a victim “missing” and “abducted,” they cried. In addition, protests were organized, voices were raised on social media, and once again the state was targeted with allegations of enforced disappearances.
Zeshan Zaheer was not some innocent student wrongly picked up. He was found receiving militant training under the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a known terrorist organization that has claimed responsibility for countless attacks on security forces, infrastructure, and even civilians. He was being groomed by experienced commanders of the BLA, not to serve Balochistan, but to serve the nefarious interests of Pakistan’s enemies.
Additionally, Zeshan was associated with the Baloch Students Organization (BSO), which under its new extremist leadership has shifted far from student activism and closer to radical militancy.
He actively spread hatred against the state, particularly from institutions like Punjab University and Quaid-e-Azam University, places meant to be centers of learning, not breeding grounds for insurgency.
Meanwhile, when he was neutralized, the same orchestrated propaganda machine kicked into high gear. Suddenly, he was painted as a martyr. The same voices who remained silent on the evidence of his links with BLA now demand accountability from the state. They want us to forget the facts and remember only the fiction they create.
This reminds me of the figures like Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen, who portray themselves as human rights defenders, but whose rhetoric aligns disturbingly well with the objectives of organizations like BLA, BYC, and BLF. These are not coincidences. This is coordination. This is strategy. This is war but fought in narratives rather than with guns.
Moreover, Zeshan Zaheer was not an isolated case. He was part of a network a web of individuals ideologically and financially linked with hostile foreign agencies.
The BYC (Baloch Yakjehti Committee), in particular, has become a tool of Fitna Al-Khawarij and Fitna Al-Hindustan.
There are those who call themselves students, activists, and reformers—but their loyalties lie not with Balochistan, not with Pakistan, but with those who pay them. These are not simply dissenting voices; they are paid agents, carrying out information warfare against Pakistan from within. Dr. Mahrang Baloch’s recent imprisonment isn’t about silencing dissent; it’s about disrupting a dangerous nexus that threatens our national integrity.
Simultaneously, we, as a people, must learn to distinguish between genuine cries for justice and manufactured noise meant to destabilize. I am not blind to the issues of Balochistan. As a proud Baloch, I have spoken time and again for the rights of our people—better education, employment, healthcare, and representation.
I call upon the youth of Balochistan do not be used. You are the future of this province and this country. Your anger is understandable. Your frustration is valid.
I also urge media outlets, civil society, and intellectuals to question what they are being told. Don’t fall into the trap of repeating narratives without verification. Zeshan Zaheer’s case should serve as a warning that propaganda can be dressed in the language of human rights, but at its core, it can still serve terrorism.
We are at a crossroads. One path leads to peace, development, and justice. The other leads to chaos, division, and servitude to foreign agendas. The choice is ours.
Also Read: BLA shifts to online propaganda after losing ground presence
In such a scenario, I, as a former spokesperson to the Chief Minister of Balochistan and as someone deeply rooted in this land, I urge our institutions to continue standing firm. And I urge our people to see through the veil of propaganda. The sacrifices of our martyrs in Bajaur and elsewhere must not go in vain.
