WASHINGTON: The United States on Monday formally designated the Balo­chistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its combat wing, the Majeed Brig­ade, as a Foreign Terr­­orist Organisation (FTO), adding the latter as an alias to BLA’s existing Specially Designated Glo­bal Terrorist (SDGT) status — a move Pakistan has long desired.

“Today, the Department of State is designating the Balo­c­histan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, the Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Orga­nisation (FTO), and adding the Majeed Brigade as an alias to BLA’s previous Spe­cially Designated Glo­bal Terrorist (SDGT) desig­na­tion,” the State Department said in its state­ment.

The statement recalled that “BLA was designated as an SDGT in 2019 following several terrorist att­acks. Since 2019, BLA has claimed responsibility for additional attacks, including by the Majeed Brigade.”

Among the recent incidents cited were the 2024 suicide bombings near Karachi airport and at the Gwadar Port Authority Complex, and the March 2025 hijacking of the Jaffar Express train from Quetta to Peshawar, which killed 31 civilians and security personnel and took more than 300 passengers hostage.

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

The designation follows the second US visit by Army Chief Gen Asim Munir, in less than two months, during which he traveled to Tampa (Centom headquarters) and Washington. His earlier visit in June 2025 marked a turning point in US–Pakistan relations, which have improved rapidly since then.

Recently, Pakistan’s Foreign Office reaffirmed the country’s long-standing stance, stating it has “effectively and comprehensively dismantled” terrorist outfits and condemns terrorism in all forms. The FO emphasised that cooperation and international coordination are cornerstones of its policy — reflecting alignment with the US move on the BLA.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2025