Naseem Baloch, chairman of the Baloch National Movement (BNM), on Thursday, 18 June sharply criticised Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif for attributing terrorism in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Afghanistan, asserting that such accusations amount to an open admission of Islamabad's own policy failures. The remarks add to simmering tensions over the long-running insurgency in Pakistan's restive western province.

The Trigger: Asif's Afghanistan Accusation

Khawaja Asif had identified Afghanistan as the principal source of terrorism and linked it directly to instability across Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The statement drew an immediate rebuttal from Baloch separatist leadership, who argued it was a deliberate attempt to externalise blame for a domestic political and security crisis.

BNM's Response: 'Propaganda Against an Indigenous Movement'

In a post on social media platform X, Naseem Baloch alleged that the Pakistani government's statement was nothing more than propaganda directed against the indigenous national movement of Balochistan. He pointed to a pattern of blame-shifting that has persisted for decades.

'Everyone knows that, at various times, Pakistan's rulers have blamed India, Afghanistan, the United States, Russia, and Iran for supporting the Baloch struggle, just in an effort to justify their occupation of Balochistan and conceal their own failures. In reality, such accusations are an admission of the failure of their own policies,' Naseem stated.

He further declared: 'We have repeatedly made it clear that this is a national liberation struggle being waged for the restoration of freedom of Balochistan. This struggle will continue until it reaches its ultimate objective.'

Historical Parallels and Direct Challenge to Asif

Naseem characterised Pakistan as an 'occupying state' and argued that neither state power nor official claims could override what he described as the legitimate national rights of the Baloch people. He drew a pointed historical parallel, urging Asif to reflect on the origins of Pakistan's own ally, the United States, which itself emerged from a colonial liberation struggle.

'History has repeatedly shown that national liberation movements cannot be permanently suppressed through force,' he said, adding that Balochistan 'will continue its struggle for the restoration of its national identity and freedom and will ultimately achieve its rightful destination.'

BYC Trial Controversy: Calls for Transparency

Separately, on Wednesday, Naseem raised alarm over what he described as 'secretive and prolonged' trials of leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC). In another post on X, he said the proceedings — conducted via remote links after more than a year of detention — expose the Pakistani authorities' treatment of the people of Balochistan.

'For decades, Baloch people have witnessed enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial killings, and politically motivated prosecutions. Today no one trusts in Pakistan's courts and state institutions,' he posted.

He insisted that open and transparent trials are 'not privileges' but 'basic constitutional and legal safeguards,' and accused authorities of targeting peaceful political activists and human rights defenders in a pattern aimed at silencing Baloch voices. The unrest in Balochistan has drawn growing international scrutiny, and the BYC trial controversy is likely to sustain pressure on Islamabad in diplomatic forums in the weeks ahead.