QUETTA: The Baloch National Movement (BNM) says the Pakistan Army has launched a propaganda campaign against its leadership following the party’s campaign highlighting human rights violations linked to Pakistan’s GSP+ trade status.
In a statement issued by a BNM spokesperson, the organization said Pakistani military institutions have intensified media campaigns and disinformation efforts targeting BNM leaders in response to the movement’s international outreach on Balochistan.
According to the statement, the propaganda campaign aims to manipulate public opinion on social media and create serious difficulties for peaceful BNM political activists both inside Pakistan and abroad. The spokesperson said BNM members and associates have previously faced threats and attacks in neighboring and Western countries, which the organization links to state-backed actors.
BNM described itself as a peaceful political party with international recognition, stating that it regularly participates in global forums to present the Baloch national case. The statement rejected claims made by Pakistan’s military spokesperson against BNM Chairman Dr. Naseem Baloch, calling them false and politically motivated. It said Dr. Naseem Baloch is committed to democratic and political struggle and leads one of the largest political movements of the Baloch nation.
The organization highlighted its social, political, and human rights initiatives, including the establishment of Paank, an institution that publishes regular reports on human rights violations in Balochistan, with enforced disappearances as a central concern.
According to BNM, Paank’s work has gained international credibility, which has increased pressure from state institutions. The statement said Paank’s coordinator has been targeted in an effort to undermine the organization’s reputation and silence its reporting.
The statement also noted that both BNM Chairman Dr. Naseem Baloch and Paank Coordinator Jamal Baloch have themselves experienced enforced disappearance at the hands of Pakistani security forces, stating that their advocacy is rooted in lived experience.
BNM said its diplomatic campaign across Europe focuses on exposing Pakistan’s human rights record in relation to its GSP+ privileges, arguing that continued trade benefits cannot coexist with systematic rights violations. The organization said the propaganda campaign escalated after this advocacy gained momentum.
The BNM urged European institutions to recognize that peaceful political activists face not only physical repression but also organized disinformation campaigns aimed at destroying their credibility and political work.
