In an incident that is reminiscent of Islamabad's reaction during the 1999 Kargil conflict, when Pakistan’s military leadership under General Pervez Musharraf denied reports that regular troops were operating across the Line of Control, Pakistan has again appeared to have disowned its own uniformed officers.
On February 14, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) released photos and video clips claiming it had taken seven Pakistani soldiers into custody.
BLA issued a seven-day ultimatum, demanding the release of its imprisoned fighters in exchange for the soldiers it has taken into captivity, and warned that the men would be executed after February 21 if negotiations did not begin.
Shortly after the material surfaced, social media accounts linked to Pakistan Army’s X Corps and the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), which is the media and public relations wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, have come out with rebuttals. They pushed a narrative, claiming that the people shown in the videos and photos are not Pakistani servicemen. They also reportedly claimed that the videos had been digitally altered. By February 15, there was an organised online effort portraying the BLA’s claims as fabricated propaganda.
The situation has revived memories of the Kargil conflict in 1999, when Pakistan’s military leadership initially denied that regular forces were operating across the LoC. At the time, growing battlefield evidence and recovered bodies contradicted official statements, leading to international attention and domestic debate about transparency.
In a later video, the seven captives appear together, each presenting what they describe as official Army service cards. One of them, Sepoy Mohammad Shahram, displays both his military identification and his national identity card issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). He questions the reported denial by the military establishment, saying, “If these are not authentic, then who issued them?” He stated that he is the eldest son in a family where his father is disabled and relies on him. “If we are not part of the Army, why were we recruited?”
The BLA also shared footage of two other men identified as Deedar Ullah from Buner village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Usman from Gujranwala, who also show identification documents and state that they are serving members of the Pakistan Army. The group’s deadline is set to expire on February 21.
Now, under the regime of Field Marshal Asim Munir, the unfolding events present another test of credibility for Pakistan. The developments mirror a familiar approach: dispute the narrative first, manage public perception, and delay institutional accountability, according to sources.
Accounts associated with X Corps and ISPR describe the episode as part of an information war, arguing that insurgent groups use digital media to create pressure and influence global opinion.
As the BLA’s deadline nears, the fate of the seven men remains uncertain. Beyond the immediate hostage situation, the episode has intensified discussion about military transparency, crisis communication, and the dangers faced by personnel deployed in insurgency-hit regions such as Balochistan, say sources.
Whether it results in dialogue, continued denial, or further escalation, the controversy has already fueled debate about institutional responsibility and the human cost borne by soldiers when operational crises evolve into political and information battles.
