U.S. Designates Balochistan Liberation Army as Foreign Terrorist Organization

The State Department of the United States has officially branded the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its operational wing, the Majeed Brigade, as foreign terrorist organizations. This announcement has been met with approval from Pakistani officials, particularly in light of the visit from Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, to the U.S. The timing of this designation coincides with a recent trade agreement between Washington and Islamabad aimed at permitting American companies to engage in the development of Balochistan’s oil reserves, thus lowering trade tariffs for Pakistan.

The BLA has been previously identified as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) since 2019, following a series of violent actions. The U.S. government indicated in its statement that the group, along with the Majeed Brigade, has continued to claim responsibility for numerous attacks even after the initial designation. Notably, in 2024 the BLA was linked to suicide bombings in Karachi and Gwadar, and in 2025, they took responsibility for a high-profile hijacking incident on the Jaffar Express train that resulted in significant casualties.

The U.S. State Department's recent actions reaffirm the government's ongoing commitment to addressing terrorism, as articulated in their statement. Meanwhile, there has been no reaction from the nationalist and separatist factions within Balochistan, a region long marked by insurgency primarily attributed to the BLA and other militant groups associated with the Pakistani Taliban. The conflict is fueled by local resistance to foreign and domestic exploitation of regional resources, with separatists often targeting Pakistani security forces and foreign nationals involved in significant projects such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.