Designates Baloch separatists as terrorist organization, acknowledging their involvement in attacks within Pakistan, a decision made by the US
U.S. Designates Balochistan Liberation Army as Foreign Terrorist Organization
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its armed wing, the Majeed Brigade, have been designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) by the United States on August 11, 2025. This designation empowers the U.S. government to freeze their assets, criminalize support for their activities, and collaborate with other countries to disrupt their operations.
Background
The BLA is a separatist militant group that opposes Pakistan’s control over Balochistan, a resource-rich province. The group has a history of carrying out attacks targeting Pakistani and Chinese interests, particularly those related to the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Notable attacks include a 2022 suicide bombing at Karachi University that killed Chinese staff, a 2023 attempted attack on Chinese engineers at Gwadar Port, and a 2024 car bombing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that killed Chinese workers.
The group's links to Indian intelligence agencies have been widely observed, with India reportedly supporting BLA operations covertly to destabilize Pakistan and obstruct CPEC projects. The U.S. designation is seen as undercutting one of India’s key leverage points in the region.
Impact
This U.S. action marks a strategic shift in American policy in South Asia and supports Pakistan and China by targeting a militant insurgency threatening regional stability. It strengthens Pakistan–U.S. counterterrorism cooperation, as reflected in recent bilateral dialogues that also address groups like the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The designation also signals changing U.S. priorities linked to strained U.S.–India relations and concerns about intelligence activities involving India in other countries. By labeling the BLA and its armored wing as terrorist organizations, the U.S. enables enhanced legal and operational measures to combat their transnational militant activities and limits their external support networks.
Summary
The U.S. designation of the Balochistan Liberation Army as an FTO is a significant development with diplomatic, security, and geopolitical implications for South Asia, particularly affecting Pakistan, China, and India relations. The designation occurred less than two weeks after the signing of a trade agreement between Washington and Islamabad, which is expected to allow American firms to help develop Pakistan's largely untapped oil reserves in Balochistan. Since its initial designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in 2019, the BLA and the Majeed Brigade have continued to pose a threat to security in Balochistan province, despite previous designations as a terrorist organization.
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