The widely believed chief of Baloch Liberation Army and mastermind of Chinese consulate attack in Karachi, Aslam Baloch, in a new video has threatened further intensification in their attacks on China, Pakistan and ‘any other country that invests in Balochistan without the consent of Baloch people’.
In a video released by Baloch Liberation Army and sent to media outlets on Monday morning, BLA’s top commander Aslam Baloch says that ‘they have been forced to pick up guns’.
In the 8 minutes 33 seconds long video, the BLA chief can be seen wearing camo and sitting on a rugged land with what seems to be a US made M16 automatic rifle equipped with a grenade launcher and a scope. Aslam Baloch speaks in Urdu language in the video.
The BLA commander, who has a bounty on his head by Pakistani state, does not mince his words in admitting involvement in attack on Chinese consulate. Earlier pictures of Aslam Baloch with the Chinese consulate attackers were also released by BLA.
In the video the BLA leader says: “We have not picked guns because we are fond of it or we have any adventurism in our minds or the Baloch are fascinated with fighting but because a war has been imposed upon us”.
He alleges that Pakistan occupied Balochistan at the might of gun 70 years ago and has since been involved in Baloch genocide.
Aslam Baloch claims that Baloch have picked up guns in their defence and “they can go to any extent to defend their people”.
Earlier Pakistani foreign ministry and other authorities had stated that Aslam Baloch was present in India and had masterminded the attack on Chinese consulate with India’s backing. In Friday’s attack two policemen, two civilians, a security guard and three attackers had died. BLA had claimed the responsibility of the attack and had said that the attack was carried out by its ‘self-sacrificing’ squad called Majeed Brigade.
In the video, Aslam Baloch denies the ‘accusations’ of presence in India and said that he is present in ‘battlefield and fighting’. “Afghanistan is our neighbour and we as humans have the right to free movement and can go to anywhere in the world but I am on the battlefield and fighting and the reason that I am fighting against them has resulted in false accusations that I am in India,” the armed leader claims.
He says that Baloch do not have any foreign backing and that is the reason we see the ‘current situation’ in Balochistan. “Baloch are fighting this war on their own but I appeal the international community to play their role and support Baloch nation on diplomatic and political fronts,” Aslam Baloch says in the video.
The leader of BLA also threatens further intensified attacks.
“I would like to make it clear to Pakistan, China and any other country that wants to exploit Baloch coastal areas for their expansionist designs that they should immediately stop or else our resistance will be even further intensified and we will not stop. Whatever China is doing in Sindh and Balochistan is against the consent and interest of Baloch and Sindhi nations. No one should think they can easily exploit this land. Our attacks against them will continue and will be even further intensified,” the Baloch armed leader warns.
“The enemy has occupied our land militarily and on daily basis they are using gunship helicopters, tanks and other weapons to kill our youth, burn villages and make our women cry, therefore, in return they should not expect any concessions from our side,” the BLA leader says in the video.
Aslam Baloch’s own son Rehan Baloch had also carried out a suicide attack on a bus carrying Chinese engineers in Dalbandeen earlier this year.
Pakistan and United Kingdom have proscribed Baloch Liberation Army as a terrorist organisation.