Pakistan has welcomed the US decision of designating Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and Majeed Brigade as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, also adding Majeed Brigade as an alias to BLA. In a statement released in Islamabad on Tuesday, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said Pakistan had proscribed Majeed Brigade as a terrorist entity since 18 July 2024.

The BLA/Majeed Brigade is involved in multiple terrorist attacks in Pakistan, including the heinous Jaffer Express terrorist incident and Khuzdar bus attack that resulted in the loss of precious lives, he added.  Shafqat Ali Khan said that Pakistan remained a steadfast bulwark against terrorism. “Our sacrifices have secured critical counter-terrorism successes, not only for the country, but for regional stability and global security,” he added. 

The spokesperson reiterated that Pakistan remained unwavering in its resolve to protect its citizens and eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, besides being committed to cooperating with the international community to overcome this common challenge. On Monday, the United States has designated militant group the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, the Majeed Brigade, as a foreign terrorist organization, the US Department of State said. 

Pakistan has repeatedly stated that BLA is receiving support from India and has been involved in numerous attacks within the country causing human and infrastructure losses. In a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “Today, the Department of State is designating  The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, The Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), and adding the Majeed Brigade as an alias to BLA’s previous Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) designation.”

BLA, Rubio said, was designated as an SDGT in 2019, pointing out that since then, it has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including by the Majeed Brigade. In 2024, Secretary Rubio noted that BLA claimed it had committed suicide attacks near the airport in Karachi and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex.  In 2025, he added, BLA claimed responsibility for the March hijacking of the Jaffar Express train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, killing 31 civilians and security personnel and holding hostage over 300 train passengers. 

“Today’s action taken by the Department of State demonstrates the Trump Administration’s commitment to countering terrorism,” the top US diplomat said. “Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities."

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)