WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD; The United States State Department has officially designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, the Majeed Brigade, as Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTOs), according to a press release issued on Monday.
The BLA, already banned in Pakistan since 2006, was labelled a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity by the US in 2019. However, its suicide squad, the Majeed Brigade, was not previously included in that designation.
Pakistan had long urged Washington to add the group to its international terrorist list. The latest move places the Majeed Brigade under the BLA’s existing SDGT designation while also listing the BLA itself as an FTO under section 219 of the US Immigration and Nationality Act.
The State Department cited the BLA’s involvement in multiple deadly attacks, including 2024 suicide bombings near Karachi airport and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex, and the 2025 hijacking of the Jaffar Express train that left 31 dead and over 300 passengers hostage.
Officials stressed that the designation is aimed at cutting off support for terrorist activities and increasing pressure on the group to cease operations.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti welcomed the decision, praising Pakistan’s federal government and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir for effectively presenting Islamabad’s case to Washington.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry hailed it as a “major diplomatic win” and accused the groups of being proxies for India, vowing that “their sponsors” would eventually face similar action.
The decision comes amid heightened militancy in Balochistan, where the BLA has intensified its attacks on civilians and security forces. Pakistan continues to maintain a policy of “zero tolerance” towards terrorism, urging global cooperation to combat extremist networks.
The development also coincides with improving ties between Islamabad and Washington, marked by recent high-level visits and joint counter-terrorism efforts. US military officials, including Centcom chief Gen Michael Kurilla, have praised Pakistan’s role in capturing Islamic State-Khorasan operatives and countering insurgent threats in its western regions.
