By: Salma Khan
For years now, I have watched a dangerous game unfold in Balochistan — one where foreign-backed terror groups manipulate the emotions of locals, particularly our youth, in the name of deprivation and nationalism. But what I see is not resistance. I see exploitation, brainwashing, and a calculated attempt to destabilise Pakistan.
Let’s start with the recent developments in Barkhan. The security operation there was a significant success. Terrorists linked to what I rightly call Fitna-e-Hindustan were neutralised while planning attacks on our forces. Our brave personnel didn’t just respond — they acted with precision and prevented further bloodshed. Yet, rather than acknowledging the sacrifice and courage of our soldiers, the propagandists on social media, operating under the guise of human rights or missing persons’ advocacy, began their typical narrative building.
Take the example of Naeem Satakzai. His face was plastered on posters, and his disappearance was blamed on the state. But let me ask: where was he before he was allegedly “picked up”? The truth is, he had joined the militants in the mountains. He wasn’t abducted — he was radicalised. And when he eventually died in a retaliatory operation against the BLA terrorist attack, the group turned him into a so-called “martyr.” I ask, does someone who engages in terrorism, who abandons his family to take up arms against his own people, deserve the honour of martyrdom? The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) refused to offer funeral prayers for one who took his own life. And yet, these groups glorify men who engage in suicide bombings and IED attacks. That is not martyrdom; it is murder — and it is betrayal.
They exploit every possible narrative — from water shortages to lack of gas — to justify their actions. But videos from Dera Bugti show these very terrorists setting fire to the water supply machinery. The same people who claim deprivation are actively destroying public infrastructure. And when the state steps in to rebuild, they accuse it of oppression. Is this not hypocrisy?
They don’t stop at targeting infrastructure. They target women — especially those who speak out. I, too, have been a victim of character assassination. They run fake accounts like “Balochistan Facts” and use anonymous handles to attack those who expose them. These accounts, often operated from India, attempt to discredit every woman who dares to speak the truth. But let me tell them: we are not for sale. We will not be silenced.
These militants claim to be fighting for Baloch rights, yet they sabotage mineral convoys, attack truck drivers, and burn economic lifelines that feed local families. If you destroy a driver’s truck, you destroy the livelihood of an entire household. Is this justice? Is this the freedom you claim to fight for?
Even their funding sources are drying up. Where once they lured youth with promises of thousands of dollars, now they can’t even pay their own recruits. Disillusioned fighters are turning on each other. In desperation, they now label their own defectors as “informants” and execute them to send a message. How long can such brutality sustain itself?
Let’s be clear: the minerals of Balochistan belong to the people of Balochistan. But we must extract and develop them through legitimate, modern means — not by setting mines on fire or halting convoys. These terrorists want to prevent economic progress because it threatens their relevance. A working, prosperous Balochistan will have no place for their darkness.
And what of the so-called journalists who aid this narrative war? Anyone with a social media account now claims to be a journalist, pushing enemy propaganda without any understanding of facts. Education is not enough — what we need is sha’ur, the awareness to distinguish truth from lies.
Today, many proud Baloch are hesitant to even use “Baloch” with their names, fearing they’ll be associated with violence. This is a tragedy. Our identity has been hijacked by a handful of self-serving militants and foreign puppets. But I believe that day by day, the truth is surfacing. People are waking up. They see who truly serves the region and who profits off its destruction.
To those who hide behind fake names and masked faces, launching anonymous attacks: show your face. If you have the courage to defame others, have the courage to stand in the light. We do. We stand with the Pakistan Army, with the Constitution, with truth.
And finally, I say this to every young person in Balochistan: You were born into a proud, resilient nation. Do not let anyone exploit your pain or your poverty. Education, opportunity, and national progress are the paths to dignity — not a gun in the mountains and false promises from foreign hands.
We are Baloch. We are Pakistani. And no amount of propaganda will break that bond.
