Since July 17, 2025, several social media users on X have shared a video of a convoy of buses, claiming it shows military and police personnel being sent back to Punjab for disciplinary proceedings after refusing to fight in Balochistan. However, the video is from June 2025 and is unrelated to the military.
Balochistan has recently witnessed an increase in attacks against security forces. Last week, three people were killed, and seven others were injured when a passenger bus was attacked in Kalat. Security forces frequently conduct operations against militancy in the province.
On July 17, an anti-state account on X shared a video showing a convoy of buses with “Quetta” displayed in the top-right corner, implying the location. The caption falsely claimed that over 500 Pakistani army and police personnel, who allegedly refused to fight against Baloch freedom fighters, were being transported back to Punjab for court-martial proceedings. No source or credible news report accompanied this claim, and no specific contextual details, such as the regions or regiments involved, were provided.
The post was viewed 132,000 times, and similar claims were shared by other accounts, including propaganda accounts from neighboring countries, garnering additional views. Due to the virality of the post and the potential impact on public perception and law and order in Balochistan, a fact-check was initiated.
While the passengers in the buses could not be determined conclusively due to covered windows and the absence of footage showing passengers boarding or disembarking, the claim raised more questions than answers. Notably, there was no military or police presence, nor were there escort vehicles accompanying the buses. One of the buses also had an electronic car for children among its luggage, further contradicting the claim.
A keyword search for the transport companies featured in the video revealed that “Al Yasir Movers” operates on the route from Quetta to Taftan. This was confirmed through contact with the company and its TikTok accounts. The video also featured a board of Chaghi LPG Pvt Ltd, a gas importer based in Balochistan, indicating the video was filmed on the Quetta-Taftan route. This was corroborated by local sources, including a Quetta-based correspondent who confirmed sightings of the company’s signage in areas along this route.
A reverse image search found the same video was posted by a TikTok account on June 22, almost a month before the current reports about Balochistan. The account frequently shares similar videos of buses on deserted roads, with no ties to military or security convoys. Frame-by-frame analysis confirmed the viral clip and the TikTok video were identical.
Additionally, no credible news reports or source-based accounts supported the claim regarding the return of 500 security personnel for insubordination. Therefore, the fact-check determined the claims were baseless. The video shows neither military vehicles nor security forces, and the account that first shared it has a history of posting unrelated convoy videos without context.
