QUETTA: A video circulating on social media shows armed members of the Indian proxy Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as Fitna al Khawarij, conducting snap checks of vehicles and commuters along a main road in the Makran region of Balochistan.
The Claim
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) released a video purportedly showing its armed members conducting vehicle snap-checking on the Quetta–Taftan Highway in Balochistan, creating an impression of militant activity and control along a key road.
The Indian proxies- Fitna al Hindustan and Fitna al Khawarij- are mostly circulating fabricated footage of development projects, construction installations, road blockades and other alleged security incidents to portray parts of Balochistan as being under militant influence.
Fact Check
A fact-check conducted by the Burak Digital Analysis Wing has found no verified evidence that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members established checkpoints or conducted vehicle snap-checking on Quetta’s Taftan Road, contradicting the impression created by a video released by the militant group.
The investigation found that the video’s geographical attribution could not be authenticated. Its recording location, date and operational context remain fabricated and tempered.
It further established that the footage does not demonstrate that the individuals shown belong to the TTP, that an actual checkpoint was established on the highway or that the group exercises any territorial control over the area.
The Analysis Wing also noted that security forces and law enforcement agencies maintain control over Quetta and its major communication and transit routes.
Local authorities and security sources say the groups are manufacturing propaganda to inflate their operational capabilities, spread panic and hoodwink the world and their foreign handlers with a false impression of their control over Balochistan’s security situation.
Verdict
The TTP’s claim of conducting snap-checking and openly patrolling Quetta’s Taftan Road is false and misleading.
The Analysis Wing’s ground verification found no evidence of TTP checkpoints, patrols or territorial control in the area. The video has not been authenticated as footage from the claimed location and cannot be treated as evidence of terrorist activity or control over the highway.
Also Read: Fact Check: No Drone Attack on Pakistan Army Base in Mastung
The claim that militant groups are using fake videos and misleading social media content to portray Balochistan as unstable has been raised by Pakistani security authorities.
