Female BLA suicide bomber of Lasbela attack is not the same Mahal Baloch arrested by CTD in Feb 2023

The iVerify Pakistan team has reviewed this content and determined that it is false.

To reach this conclusion, the iVerify Pakistan team investigated the claim via a detailed comparison of the two individuals’ facial features and backgrounds as well as contacting officials.

Posts from multiple social media users on August 26, 2024, claimed that a female suicide bomber of the banned militant Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) was the same Mahal Baloch arrested by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in February 2023 and later released. However, the two individuals are not the same.

Dozens of BLA militants affiliated launched numerous attacks on August 26 across Balochistan, targeting security personnel as well as civilians. At least 50 people, including 14 security men, lost their lives as militants went on a rampage across the province, storming police stations, blowing up railway tracks, and setting fire to almost three dozen vehicles. In response, security forces neutralised 21 militants.

The BLA released images of two suicide bombers who drove an explosives-laden vehicle into a security forces camp in Lasbela District. The woman was identified as Mahal Baloch alias Zalan Kurd.

Meanwhile, as per a Dawn news report dated March 23, 2023, the 28-year-old Mahal Baloch was arrested on February 19, 2023, along with a suicide jacket from Quetta’s Satellite Town, who later admitted her association with Baloch Liberation Front via a video message. However, human rights activists and organisations alleged that it was a forced confession and demanded her release. She was eventually released in May 2023.

HOW IT STARTED

On August 26, 2024, Farhan Virk, a former PTI propagandist and social media activist turned critic, shared a post on social media platform X criticising journalist Hamid Mir and Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch for their previous stance regarding the detention and release of Mahal Baloch.

He claimed that she was the same individual who carried out the BLA suicide attack in Lasbela district. He shared a screenshot of a tweet from a user celebrating Mahal’s release in May 2023 alongside an image of the BLA suicide bomber.

The caption of his post said: “This is the outcome of your missing person narrative, Hamid Mir! Three months ago, a woman named Mahal Baloch, who was a suicide bomber, was picked up by Pakistani agencies. Hamid Mir and Mahrang Baloch raised a hue and cry about the detention of women. Today, that same Mahal Baloch carried out a suicide attack. Isn’t this facilitating terrorists, or what else could it be?”

The post has amassed over 126,000 views and 1,400 reposts.

Content creator Saad Kaiser, who appears to be a PML-N supporter based on his past posts, also made a similar claim while quote-responding to human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari-Hazir’s post, posting a screenshot of her tweet demanding Mahal’s release and an image of the suicide bomber side by side.

He asked in the caption: “And how are you going to defend your own tweet? Any explanation for this? Asad Ali Toor could you please explain?”

His post gained over 74,000 views.

A similar claim was made by a pro-PMLN account with the caption: “Mahal Baloch was arrested with a suicide vest, and Hamid Mir, Toor, Mazari and all the so-called liberals and human rights advocates started mourning. An online campaign was launched, and she was released. Yesterday, she carried out a suicide attack in Balochistan. Do you understand the network?”

The post gained close to 39,000 views.

Multiple other users shared the same allegations, as can be seen in similar posts here and here.

METHODOLOGY

A fact check was initiated to determine the veracity of claims due to their virality and because some users pointed out in the comments to the viral posts that the two women were not the same despite having the name Mahal Baloch.

Comparing photos of the two, the Mahal Baloch shown in the images associated with the recent suicide attack does not match the facial description of the Mahal Baloch, who was detained by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in February 2023.

Following are the notable facial differences between the two women:

1. The BLA member has an oval face shape with a noticeable cleft chin, while the other Mahal has a smooth chin without any cleft.
2. The nose of the suicide bomber is more pronounced with a rounded tip, whereas the other Mahal has a nose with a flatter bridge and a more tapered tip.
3. The suicide bomber also has fuller lips with a well-defined cupid’s bow, whereas previously detained Mahal Baloch has thinner lips.
4. The militant has thicker eyebrows than the 28-year-old former detainee.
5. The woman in the first picture also has marks on the cheeks, as well as dark spots, in contrast to the Baloch on the right.

Imaan also pointed out the distinct faces of the individuals in response to Kaiser’s query on X, saying: “Ill defend it by clarifying to the morons who can’t even tell the difference between two completely distinct faces that these two Mahals are two different people.”

Contacted for a response, Imaan provided the following information regarding the viral claim: “The Mahal Baloch who was forcibly disappeared and then surfaced in CTD custody belongs to Tump and is a mother of two. This Mahal Baloch belongs to Gwadar and was a student at the University of Turbat. Secondly, the faces of the two don’t match even in front of the naked eye.”

Balochistan CTD Deputy Inspector General of Police also confirmed to Dawn.com correspondent Abdullah Zehri that the BLA suicide bomber Mahal and the Mahal arrested in 2023 were two different women.

According to Goraya, the police and the CTD carried out an investigation against Mahal at the CTD police station, adding that she was under trial in an anti-terrorism court (ATC).

He said Mahal arrested by the CTD had obtained bail and she ensured her presence in the ATC whenever summoned.

Goraya also said the family of the suicide bomber was traced and an investigation was under way.

A Dawn news report dated August 27, 2024, yielded similar information on the BLA bomber, who was identified as a resident of Gwadar district.

Meanwhile, a report from Baloch group Human Rights Council Balochistan dated February 19, 2023, noted the other Mahal’s residence as Gomazi village of Kech district’s Tump area, from where she shifted to Quetta in 2018 with her children.

FACT-CHECK STATUS: FALSE

The claim regarding BLA suicide bomber Mahal Baloch being the same person who was detained by the CTD in February 2023 and who was later released on bail is false.

Both individuals are different, as confirmed by a senior police official, with distinct facial differences and backgrounds.