The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, has claimed to be holding seven members of Pakistan's security forces in custody and has given the Pakistani government seven days to exchange prisoners, threatening to execute the detainees if talks do not take place in that time.
The group claims there are just six days left before the deadline passes. The ultimatum was made public in a statement released by Hakkal, the organization's media wing, along with the release of a video message.
NDTV was unable to independently verify the accusations, and Pakistan's government and military authorities have not yet issued an official statement.The BLA claims that the inmates were apprehended during "Operation Herof"'s second phase. According to the group, throughout the operation, its fighters had captured 17 members of the Pakistani security forces on several fronts.
Ten of those seized were released after warnings, according to the organization, since they were identified as ethnic Baloch and connected to local police.
The group claimed that local identity, the interests of the Baloch people, and what it called "ground realities" were taken into account when deciding to free those individuals.
According to the BLA statement, the other seven inmates are part of the Pakistani army's regular battalions.According to the organization, these people are still in its captivity and were the focus of hearings held by a court it refers to as a Baloch National Court.
According to the group, the inmates were charged with participating in what it called "genocide" against the Baloch people, aiding and abetting enforced disappearances, and engaging in activities against civilian populations during those procedures. It stated that confessional comments were recorded, evidence was provided, and the accused was given a chance to address the accusations at the hearings.According to the Baloch Liberation Army, there are values, norms, and reciprocal obligations even during times of conflict.

Now, it is up to the occupying Pakistani state to decide whether to take significant action to save the lives of its employees or to continue its policy of silence and apathy, which has resulted in the deaths of its hired workers," the BLA said in a statement.
The BLA stated that it has chosen to grant Pakistan a seven-day grace period even though it had announced convictions and a death sentence. According to the group, the seven captives may be exchanged for the release of Baloch inmates detained by Pakistani authorities if the Pakistani government formally declared its willingness to exchange prisoners of war during this time.
The group claimed that although it had made multiple exchange offers in the past, Pakistani officials had not followed through on them and had disregarded the lives of its employees.

Pakistan has continuously denied that its presence in Balochistan is a "occupation" and has viewed the BLA as a terrorist group. In addition to being outlawed in Pakistan, the separatist group has been labeled a terrorist organization by a number of nations, including the US and the UK.