The recent revelation by the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) regarding Naqeeb Ahmed Jamaldini, alias Maran, has shed light on misinformation campaigns. These campaigns highlight the issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan. The BLA identified Naqeeb, previously portrayed as a victim of forced abduction, as a key commander. The Frontier Corps (FC) eliminated him in an operation in Noshki district on February 7, 2025.
However, contrary to these claims, local authorities consistently maintained that Naqeeb had never been in state custody, labeling the protests as a deliberate attempt to malign law enforcement agencies.
The BLA validated their stance by releasing videos and images of Naqeeb. These videos glorified his involvement in terrorist activities.
Naqeeb Jamaldini was an active and notorious member of the BLA. His track record of violence includes his role in the abduction of the sister of another BLA fighter, Sirbuland Baloch, a member of the Majeed Brigade responsible for the suicide attack on Chinese engineers in Gwadar in August 2021. Jamaldini kidnapped Sirbuland Baloch’s sister one month after his death.
Sirbuland Baloch’s story mirrors the coercive tactics of the BLA. Enrolled in Frontier Corps School in Panjgur in 2007, he resisted their recruitment attempts for years.
However, in 2018, the BLA kidnapped him, forcibly inducted him into their training camps, and manipulated him into executing the Gwadar suicide attack.
Naqeeb’s case is not an isolated incident. Other individuals followed a similar trajectory. This included Sagheer Ahmed, Abdul Wadood Satakzai, Karim Jan, and Tayyab Baloch. They disappeared from public life. Later, they surfaced as BLA fighters. Eventually, the banned outfit celebrated them posthumously after their involvement in militant activities. This recurring pattern shows that people often weaponize claims of enforced disappearances to undermine the legitimacy of counterterrorism operations. The BLA strategically utilizes these narratives to foster anti-state sentiment and justify their militant agenda.
The BYC and its affiliates have frequently staged protests leveraging cultural symbols like the Baloch chadar, portraying their demonstrations as a fight for justice. However, in cases like Naqeeb’s, these efforts appear to be deliberate misrepresentations aimed at disrupting public order and discrediting security forces.
The case of Naqeeb Jamaldini exemplifies the complex interplay between terrorism, propaganda, and advocacy in Balochistan.
Human rights concerns remain crucial. It is equally important to scrutinize claims of enforced disappearances. This is especially true when evidence later disproves such claims. In some cases, militant groups allegedly supported by these individuals disprove the claims themselves.
The state’s counterterrorism efforts in the region continue to face challenges, not only from insurgents but also from misinformation campaigns that seek to blur the lines between militant activity and victimhood.
