United States classifies Balochistan militant group in Pakistan as a 'foreign terrorist organization'; move aims to strengthen relations with the Pakistani administration under Trump.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), an ethnonationalist separatist militant group active in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the United States. This designation, announced in August 2025, is a significant escalation from the group's previous designation as a "specially designated global terrorist" (SDGT) organization in 2019.
The BLA, also known as the Majeed Brigade, has been involved in an insurgency since the early 2000s, targeting Pakistani security forces, government officials, and economic projects, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The latest iteration of the BLA has broadened its focus from securing the province's natural resources to full-fledged independence.
The designation as an FTO makes it a crime for anyone in the US to provide support to the BLA. This move by the U.S. State Department reflects increased concern over the BLA’s militant activities, including violent attacks on civilians, security personnel, and Chinese nationals in Pakistan. Notably, in March 2025, the BLA claimed responsibility for the hijacking of the Jaffar Express train, which resulted in 31 deaths and hostage-taking of over 300 passengers.
Recent developments indicate ongoing violent activity by the BLA against Pakistani state targets and infrastructure critical to China-Pakistan cooperation. The group's leader has also expressed openness to external support, including from India, to further their separatist agenda. The complex militant landscape in the region involves confrontations between the BLA and other groups such as the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which declared war on the BLA in mid-2025 after the BLA reportedly eliminated ISKP fighters in Mastung district.
Balochistan, the largest but least populous and poorest province in Pakistan, remains key to trade, housing the deep-sea ports at Gwadar, a key component in plans to link southwestern China to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan. The province's population of 15 million has long alleged that Pakistan's government has exploited its resources while neglecting its needs.
The designation of the BLA as an FTO comes amidst strained relations between the US and Pakistan, with the Trump administration seeking new investments in Pakistan, with particular emphasis on the South Asian country's natural resources and fledgling cryptocurrency industry. Trump's tariff campaign against India has further soured relations between New Delhi and Washington.
The TRF, an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was also designated as a foreign terrorist group by the administration of US President Donald Trump last month. In June, Trump hosted Pakistani Army chief Asim Munir for lunch at the White House, adding another layer of complexity to the geopolitical dynamics in the region.
In a separate development, Trump later claimed he was behind a ceasefire that ended a brief military confrontation between India and Pakistan in May, a claim rejected by India. The BLA's continued violent activities underscore the ongoing security challenges in the region, linked to ethnic nationalism, regional geopolitics, and infrastructural projects.
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