Video: Kidnapped Pakistani soldiers cry as government denies their existence
What's the story
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, has released a video allegedly showing eight Pakistani Army personnel it claims to have recently captured. The video was released after the Pakistani military allegedly said the men are not its soldiers. The footage was also released just three days before the group's February 22 deadline for a proposed prisoner exchange. The BLA has warned that if negotiations do not take place within this timeframe, the detainees could be executed.
Video details
Soldiers display IDs, service cards
The video shows the alleged soldiers kneeling in a rocky area with armed men next to them. The detainees display their official service cards and national identity documents on camera, claiming they were recruited, issued IDs, and deployed by the army. One soldier in tears questions how the army can deny their existence. "Look at my identity card; Pakistan has issued this to me...Why did you recruit me if you're going to say that we're not your personnel?" he asks.
Twitter Post
Watch the video here
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— نقطةNUQTA (@NUQTA31) February 20, 2026
In this video, regarding Pakistan’s denial about the personnel captured by Baloch militants, one of the soldiers is seen crying and says:
“This is my military ID card, and this is my national identity card. How can you deny that we belong to the army?” pic.twitter.com/gZA0IRpvb1
Demand and silence
No response from Pakistan's military or government yet
In the video, the detained men urge Pakistan's military leadership and government to accept the BLA's demand for a prisoner exchange involving Baloch prisoners or detainees. They called on officials to negotiate and meet the group's demands so they can be released safely. As of now, there has been no fresh response from Pakistan's military or government regarding this latest video.
Independence struggle
BLA is designated as a terrorist organization by Pakistan
The BLA is fighting for the independence of Balochistan, a province in southwest Pakistan. It is the largest of several ethnic insurgent groups that have been waging war against the federal government for years, claiming Islamabad exploits Balochistan's rich resources unfairly. However, Islamabad has consistently rejected these claims and designates the BLA as a terrorist organization.