We live in the world of visuals, where we are bombarded with a plethora of images and videos daily, so much so that they alter our thinking patterns and often make us believe in cooked narratives that have no or minimal connection with reality. While all segments of society are generating visual content, the insurgent groups have started doing it more sophisticatedly to propagate their ideology among the masses. As Neville Bolt notes in his book “The Violent Image: Insurgent Propaganda and the New Revolutionaries,” terrorist and insurgent outfits use images that are disseminated through the internet and social media platforms to reach the masses. This imagery now lies at the very core of insurgent strategy and serves as a symbolic weapon that not only shocks people but also garners the support of those groups that are moved by these images on an emotional level. The recent propaganda documentary released by the internationally recognized terrorist group BLA regarding the Mach attack, also called Dara-e-Bolan, that took place this year in January is a prime example in this regard, whereby the said terrorist group attempted to glorify its unsuccessful attacks.
The one-hour-long propaganda documentary seems like a visual marvel that speaks volumes about BLA’s heroic attempt, but after watching the video, one comes to realise that it is nothing more than a digital attempt to cover a misadventure that cost innocent lives. One can find no tangible evidence that supports the organisation’s exaggerated claims about the attack.
To analyse the contents of the video, it is important to deconstruct it in a comprehensive way. The video starts dramatically with a voiceover that gives a sensational feel to the viewers, but the script seems as if it was written by a layman with minimum command over the diction. Likewise, there were many shots of 4–10 militants lying on sandy and mountainous terrain, shooting one bullet each in their respective directions, and doing what seemed like training. Similarly, there were shots where BLA commanders were giving briefs to not more than 6–8 terrorists using a handmade map, which shows that even their propaganda lacks quality. These visuals clearly portrayed these supposedly ‘upgraded forces’ as some kind of ‘militia’, with no visible military or strategic capabilities.
Apart from this, the video showed drone-visuals of only three vehicles that carried the BLA terrorists who were enroute to orchestrate the Mach attack, which negates the BLA’s claim that a large force comprising four units initiated the attack. The BLA remains a terrorist group composed of a small number of radical extremists who indoctrinate Baloch youth with nationalist sentiments, utilising them for their own agenda and turning them into terrorists rather than contributing to the betterment of Balochistan. Furthermore, the BLA failed to provide any credible evidence of the casualties they claimed. Instead, they attempted to divert attention with dramatic shots of militants’ training and injured terrorists. This only highlights the misguided mindset of individuals engaged in a conflict without a clear aim or purpose, manipulated into sacrificing their lives without cause. Their actions resulted in the disruption of routine activities in Mach for 48 continuous hours and claimed the lives of innocent people, including a child.
Finally, their predictable and irrational message at the end, which states that they will intensify their attacks and continue until their so-called liberation, reflects a recurring theme in BLA rhetoric since 2019. They consistently warn foreign countries, like China, to withdraw from Balochistan, aligning with the interests of states like India, which oppose projects such as the Chinese-Pakistani Economic Corridor (CPEC) due to geostrategic concerns. India, through its proxy groups like the BLA, has repeatedly echoed anti-CPEC sentiments globally.
While it is true that the BLA may receive more sponsorship and support to continue their attacks at the behest of hostile states, such as India, to sabotage developmental projects within Balochistan, their efforts have always been futile.
In a nutshell, the digital propaganda of BLA, as exemplified by the Mach attack documentary, is a deceptive allure, which shows how important it is to carry out scrutiny of their visual narratives. Despite their attempt to glorify their failed actions, their digital lies reveal their futile attempts to mask their misadventures at the cost of innocent lives, highlighting the destructive consequences of manipulated imagery in modern conflict zones. In short, this documentary serves as a reminder of how visual storytelling shapes perceptions and spreads fake narratives that perpetuate the complications of the region.
