By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The United States on Monday designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its offshoot, the Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), the State Department announced, citing the groups’ involvement in a series of deadly attacks in Pakistan.
“Today, the Department of State is designating The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, The Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), and adding the Majeed Brigade as an alias to BLA’s previous Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) designation,” the State Department said in a statement.
The BLA, which was first listed as an SDGT in 2019 following a string of terrorist attacks, has since claimed responsibility for further violence, including through its Majeed Brigade faction.
The State Department highlighted that in 2024, the BLA claimed it carried out suicide attacks near Karachi’s airport and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex. In 2025, the group admitted to orchestrating the March hijacking of the Jaffar Express train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, an attack that killed 31 civilians and security personnel and saw over 300 passengers taken hostage.
“Today’s action taken by the Department of State demonstrates the Trump Administration’s commitment to countering terrorism,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. “Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities.”
The designations, enacted under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, and Executive Order 13224, as amended, will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register. They impose strict sanctions, including asset freezes and prohibitions on US citizens providing material support to the groups.
The move follows persistent demands from Pakistan, which has accused the BLA and Majeed Brigade of operating with backing from India. In July, Islamabad reiterated its call for the US to designate the groups as terrorist organizations, shortly after Washington listed The Resistance Front as an FTO for its alleged role in an April 22 attack in occupied administered Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 people. That incident triggered the heaviest cross-border clashes between India and Pakistan in decades, with New Delhi accusing Islamabad of sponsoring the attack, a charge Pakistan firmly rejected.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office has repeatedly described the BLA and Majeed Brigade as “Fitna al-Hindustan,” alleging that the groups conduct anti-state activities with support from India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). Pakistani media, citing intelligence sources, have reported that RAW has activated proxies in Balochistan to fuel violence in areas such as Gwadar, Quetta, and Khuzdar.
In a July statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Office emphasized the country’s role as a “frontline state against terrorism,” noting its significant contributions to global counter-terrorism efforts.
The US designation is likely to further strain relations between Pakistan and India, already tense over allegations of cross-border militancy. Analysts say the move could bolster Pakistan’s efforts to curb insurgent activities in Balochistan, a resource-rich but restive province where the BLA has long sought to challenge state authority.
The BLA, which claims to fight for greater autonomy or independence for Balochistan, has been linked to attacks targeting both Pakistani security forces and Chinese-funded infrastructure projects, including those tied to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The Majeed Brigade, known for its suicide attack operations, has emerged as a particularly deadly faction of the group.
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