The United States has officially designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its sub-group, the Majeed Brigade, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs).
According to a statement released by the US State Department on Monday, the BLA was already listed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group in 2019. The new designation adds the Majeed Brigade as an alias or sub-group under the BLA.
The US noted that the BLA has been responsible for numerous attacks targeting security forces, government officials, and public infrastructure in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. Recently, the group claimed responsibility for bombing the Jaffar Express railway track in Mastung, causing six carriages to derail. In March 2025, the BLA hijacked the same train in the same district, killing 21 hostages before security forces eliminated 33 assailants.
Since its 2019 designation, the BLA has carried out several high-profile attacks, including suicide bombings near Karachi Airport and at the Gwadar Port Authority complex in 2024. The group has also deployed female suicide bombers against Chinese nationals in Karachi to protest Chinese mining projects in Balochistan.
The US statement said the move reflects its continued commitment to combating terrorism and preventing support for such activities worldwide.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti welcomed the decision, praising the federal government and Army Chief General Asim Munir for effectively presenting Pakistan’s case to Washington.
“These groups have long shed innocent blood under the false cover of ethnicity and rights,” Bugti said. “Terrorism is terrorism, and no cause justifies killing civilians. The world must unite to end this menace.”
Both Pakistan and the US officially classify the BLA as a terrorist organization.
