Pakistani soldier crouches behind wall during Chinese embassy attack
Pakistani soldier crouches behind wall during Chinese embassy attackReuters

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) issued a message today, following last week's attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi.

BLA chief and mastermind of last week's Chinese consulate attack in Karachi, Aslam Baloch, in a new Urdu-language video has threatened further intensification of attacks on China, Pakistan, and "any other country that invests in Balochistan without the consent of Baloch people."

In a video released this morning, Baloch says "We have been forced to pick up guns."

“The enemy has occupied our land militarily and on daily basis they are using gunship helicopters, tanks, and other weapons to kill our youth, burn villages, and make our women cry. Therefore, in return they should not expect any concessions from our side.

“I would like to make it clear to Pakistan, China, and any other country that wants to exploit Baloch coastal areas for their expansionist designs that they should immediately stop or else our resistance will be even further intensified and we will not stop.

"Whatever China is doing in Sindh and Balochistan is against the consent and interest of Baloch and Sindhi nations. No one should think they can easily exploit this land. Our attacks against them will continue and will be even further intensified,” Baloch said.

In the video the BLA leader says: “We have not picked guns because we are fond of it or we have any adventurism in our minds or the Baloch are fascinated with fighting, but because a war has been imposed upon us.”

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry and other authorities stated that Aslam Baloch was in India and had masterminded the attack on Chinese consulate with India’s backing, reports Balochistan Post. In Friday’s attack two policemen, two civilians, a security guard, and three attackers died. BLA claimed responsibility for the attack and said is was carried out by its "self-sacrificing" squad called Majeed Brigade.

In the video, Baloch denies presence in India and says he is "in the battlefield and fighting".

“Afghanistan is our neighbor and we as humans have the right to free movement and can go to anywhere in the world but I'm on the battlefield fighting and the reason that I'm fighting against them has resulted in false accusations that I'm in India,” Baloch says.

He says that Baloch do not have foreign backing and "this is the reason we see the current situation in Balochistan". “Baloch are fighting this war on their own but I appeal to the international community to play their role and support the Baloch nation on diplomatic and political fronts,” Aslam Baloch says in the video.

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