By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
PESHAWAR: The United States Embassy on Tuesday formally announced that the Department of State has designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, the Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
In a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Majeed Brigade has also been added as an alias to the BLA’s previous Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) status, which was imposed in 2019 after a series of deadly attacks.
According to the state department, the BLA has carried out multiple acts of terrorism since its initial designation. In 2024, the group claimed responsibility for suicide attacks near Karachi airport and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex.
Earlier this year, the BLA claimed the March hijacking of the Jaffar Express train from Quetta to Peshawar, which killed 31 civilians and security personnel and saw more than 300 passengers taken hostage.
“The Trump Administration remains committed to countering terrorism. Designations such as this play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities,” Rubio stated.
The move was taken under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224. The designation will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register.
