WASHINGTON / ISLAMABAD, Aug 12: The United States has formally designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its militant faction, the Majeed Brigade, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), citing their involvement in multiple deadly attacks across Pakistan.
The US State Department announced the decision on Monday, also listing the Majeed Brigade as an alias under BLA’s existing Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) status, first imposed in 2019. The designation, made under Section 219 of the US Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register.
The BLA, designated an SDGT in 2019, has since claimed responsibility for numerous high-profile attacks, including suicide bombings and armed assaults. In 2024, it claimed deadly suicide attacks near Karachi airport and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex. Earlier this year, its Majeed Brigade faction carried out the March hijacking of the Jaffar Express train from Quetta to Peshawar, killing 31 people and taking over 300 passengers hostage.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to countering terrorism and disrupting support networks for militant groups. “Terrorist designations play a critical role in curtailing the capabilities of such organizations,” he said.
The decision follows repeated requests from Pakistan, most recently in July. Islamabad has long accused India’s intelligence agency, RAW, of backing the BLA to destabilize Balochistan and target projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti welcomed the announcement, crediting the federal government and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir for effectively presenting Pakistan’s stance in Washington. He said the BLA and Majeed Brigade have “shed the blood of innocents under the guise of rights and ethnicity,” urging global unity against terrorism.
