The BYC,serves as the political and social façade for these banned groups, mobilizing youth under the pretext of activism while facilitating terrorism and foreign-sponsored subversion.
In a revealing interview with GEO News, former BNA commander Sarfraz Bangulzai made critical disclosures about the complex network sustaining terrorism in Balochistan. His statements shed light on internal deceit, foreign linkages, and manipulative propaganda machinery operating under various banners, including the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Baloch Liberation Front (BLF), and Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).
A Unified Network of Terrorism
According to Bangulzai, the BLA, BLF, and BYC function as interconnected entities forming a single terrorist network. The BYC, he said, serves as the political and social façade for these banned groups, mobilizing youth under the pretext of activism while facilitating terrorism and foreign-sponsored subversion.
He further disclosed that India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) directly funds and coordinates anti-Pakistan networks operating under multiple labels across Europe and Afghanistan. Bangulzai identified digital platforms such as The Balochistan Post, Sangar, and Zrumbash as propaganda arms responsible for spreading misinformation, radicalizing youth, and fueling anti-state sentiment.
Youth Exploited Through False Narratives
Bangalzai emphasized that Baloch youth are emotionally exploited through deceptive narratives of freedom and prosperity. While young people are driven into violence, group leaders live comfortably abroad, enjoying the benefits of their propaganda.
He appealed to the youth of Balochistan to learn from his experience and reject recruitment campaigns that disguise terrorism as rights activism.
Dr. Mahrang Baloch’s Family Link to BLA
Bangalzai also disclosed that Dr. Mahrang Baloch’s father, Ghaffar Langove, was a BLA commander whose grave is wrapped in the organization’s flag — a symbolic representation of her family’s ideological and operational alignment with the banned group. He argued that this background explains the continuity in narrative and operational coordination between BYC and BLA elements.
The Arrests That Exposed the Network
These revelations follow two significant security milestones that helped uncover the full structure of the terrorists network in Balochistan.
In May 2023, former Baloch militant Imam Gulzar Shambay — a high-ranking commander of the Baloch National Army (BNA) — was arrested in a high-intelligence operation. His arrest led to valuable intelligence about the operational nexus between terrorist and propaganda networks active across the province.
Later, in October 2023, Sarfraz Bangulzai, another senior BNA commander, surrendered to the state of Pakistan along with 70 associates, publicly declaring his decision to abandon militancy and reintegrate into national life. His cooperation has since exposed key internal workings of the BLA-BLF-BYC alliance.
Foreign Support and Propaganda Infrastructure
Bangulzai’s revelations align with Imam Gulzar’s earlier statements, both confirming that groups such as BYC act as recruitment nurseries for the banned BLA. According to Imam, many students are recruited through these networks and lured into violent extremism.
Both former commanders pointed to a foreign support structure — linking India’s RAW with anti-Pakistan propaganda networks in Europe and militant coordination from Afghanistan. They stated that these alliances sustain terrorism in Balochistan under the pretext of activism and human rights.
Imam Gulzar Confirms Mahrang Baloch’s Father Ghaffar Langov Was a BLA Terrorist
Call for Border Management and Reintegration
Bangulzai underscored the need for effective border management with Afghanistan and Iran, similar to Pakistan’s structured coordination with China and India. He stressed that joint surveillance, community engagement, and strict monitoring of illegal trade routes are essential to curb cross-border terrorism and arms trafficking.
He urged the government and civil society to enhance reintegration and rehabilitation programs for surrendered terrorists and raise awareness about the deceptive tactics used by terrorist organizations. According to him, the path to peace and reintegration remains open for all who wish to return to national life.
The Underlying Reality
The analysis of these testimonies reveals a clear pattern:
- Terrorism in Balochistan is sustained byforeign intelligence agencies through propaganda and deception.
- TheBYC serves as the soft front of the BLA, providing narratives, mobilization, and legitimacy.
- Effective border managementwith Afghanistan and Iran is key to cutting off the logistical backbone of terrorism.
- Youth aremanipulated through emotional and ideological exploitation, not genuine activism.
- Reintegration and educationare crucial for peacebuilding and de-radicalization.
International Connections and Controversy
Questions have now emerged over Dr. Mahrang Baloch’s international recognition campaign, including her reported nomination push for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Sources claim that her campaign is being advanced by Kiyaa Baloch, a known sympathizer and spokesperson for these networks, who works with NGOs connected to Jørgen Watne Frydnes, a current member of the Nobel Committee and director of PEN Norway, where Kiyaa serves as communication officer.
This overlap between activism, propaganda, and international lobbying underscores the growing concern over how narratives about Balochistan are being shaped globally — often without scrutiny of the networks and agendas behind them.
The EU DisinfoLab Connection
The EU DisinfoLab has previously documented how India-linked disinformation networks exploited NGOs, fake media outlets, and human rights platforms to spread anti-Pakistan propaganda in Europe.
The revelations by Bangulzai and Imam Gulzar now mirror those findings, indicating that the same propaganda ecosystem exposed by the EU DisinfoLab continues to evolve under new banners — including digital activism fronts linked to BLA and BYC.
Together, these patterns suggest a coordinated hybrid strategy: terrorism on the ground, disinformation online, and lobbying abroad — all designed to destabilize Balochistan and malign Pakistan’s image internationally.
