Pakistan’s Military Accused of Propaganda Campaign Against Baloch Movement

The Baloch National Movement (BNM) has issued a strong condemnation of the Pakistani military, accusing it of orchestrating a “baseless propaganda campaign” against its leadership. The accusations come as the BNM continues its international campaign challenging Pakistan’s preferential trade status under the European Union’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) program.

In a detailed statement, the BNM alleged that the Pakistani Army is engaged in a two-pronged strategy against Baloch activists: committing human rights violations through state power while simultaneously conducting media trials and implementing “fifth-generation warfare doctrine” to spread disinformation.

“The objective of this propaganda is not only to generate negative opinion on social media regarding the Baloch movement, but also to create serious and tangible difficulties for peaceful political activists both inside the country and abroad,” the BNM statement read.

The rights organization pointed specifically to accusations made by Major General Ahmed Sharif, the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the official media arm of Pakistan’s Armed Forces. According to the BNM, Major General Sharif falsely accused BNM leader Naseem Baloch of involvement in armed activities.

“We categorically reject this false and malicious propaganda against him,” the BNM stated, insisting that Baloch promotes freedom through peaceful political means rather than violence.

The conflict in Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated province, has persisted for decades. Rich in natural resources including natural gas, coal, and minerals, the region has seen separatist movements emerge in response to what many Baloch people describe as exploitation by the central government with little benefit to local communities.

Human rights organizations have repeatedly documented allegations of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and torture in the region. The Pakistani government has generally denied these accusations or attributed violence to separatist militants.

The BNM’s recent campaign across Europe aims to highlight these human rights concerns, arguing that Pakistan’s GSP+ privileges—which provide enhanced access to EU markets—should be reconsidered in light of ongoing abuses. The GSP+ status requires beneficiary countries to implement international conventions related to human rights and good governance.

According to the BNM, as their campaign gained international traction, Pakistani authorities intensified propaganda efforts to “sabotage” this initiative. The organization urged European institutions to recognize that “Pakistan not only physically harms peaceful political activists but also seeks to destroy their reputations and lives through systematic disinformation and false propaganda.”

The statement further claimed that Pakistan has historically attempted to reframe narratives by “portraying victims as criminals and the oppressed as oppressors.”

International observers have noted that the conflict in Balochistan receives limited global media attention, partly due to restricted access for journalists and human rights monitors. The Pakistani government has maintained that security measures in the region are necessary to combat terrorism and preserve territorial integrity.

The BNM concluded its statement with a defiant message, asserting that the Baloch people would not be intimidated into silence by such tactics and would continue to challenge Pakistan’s actions “at every level.”

This escalation of rhetoric highlights the continuing tensions in Balochistan and raises questions about the effectiveness of international trade incentives like GSP+ in promoting human rights compliance in beneficiary countries.