Talat Aziz, a student at Punjab University who recently surrendered to authorities after being involved with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), has exposed the group’s recruitment strategies. He disclosed that his initial association with certain Baloch students on campus led to his gradual indoctrination, drawing him towards the BLA’s cause.
According to Talat, he was convinced to take up arms for Balochistan’s “so-called independence” and enticed by the promise of a “new life in the mountains.” He issued a heartfelt appeal to other Baloch youth, urging them not to fall for deceptive narratives about missing persons and misleading promises of freedom that, he said, only serve to harm their futures.
Talat also implicated certain Baloch student councils at Punjab University, claiming they play a crucial role in the BLA’s efforts to radicalize youth and instill animosity towards Punjabis. “I am a Pakistani, and Balochistan is a beautiful part of Pakistan,” he affirmed.
He further revealed that BLA operatives actively target young people through events like those organized by the Baloch Solidarity Committee. During one such protest, he recognized a young man he later encountered in the mountains, highlighting the manipulative tactics used by the BLA to lure recruits.
In a similar development, Adila Baloch, a Baloch woman arrested in Turbat on September 25, admitted to planning a suicide attack after being misled by terrorist recruiters. Adila, a trained nurse running a project for the World Health Organization, expressed regret for her actions. “I was so deceived that I was prepared to carry out an attack without considering the innocent lives at risk,” she shared alongside her parents.
Adila explained that she followed the terrorists into the mountains without informing her family and saw other misguided youth there as well. Warning others against making the same mistake, she stated, “This path leads only to destruction and not freedom. If you encounter such people, speak to your parents. Suicide bombing is forbidden and haram. I hope no other Baloch youth makes the mistakes I did.”
