The United States has designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as a “foreign terrorist” organization, increasing pressure on the Pakistan-based group. The designation, announced by the Department of State, comes as US President Donald Trump seeks closer ties with the Pakistani government.
In a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move “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,” Rubio said.
The BLA was previously designated as a “specially designated global terrorist” (SDGT) organization in 2019. The new designation is more severe and makes it a crime for anyone in the US to provide support to the group. The previous designation only targeted financial resources. The BLA has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including a siege of a train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar in March, which killed dozens of passengers and soldiers.
The designation comes as the US and Pakistan seek to strengthen their relationship. Trump hosted Pakistani Army chief Asim Munir for lunch at the White House in June, and the Trump administration has sought new investments with Pakistan, particularly in the country’s natural resources and cryptocurrency industry. Balochistan, the largest and poorest province in Pakistan, has experienced at least five secessionist uprisings since Pakistan’s formation in 1947. The region remains key to trade, housing the deep-sea ports at Gwadar, a crucial component in plans to link southwestern China to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan.
Recent BLA attacks have further inflamed tensions between Pakistan and India, with Islamabad accusing New Delhi of fueling the violence. India has denied the claims. The designation of the BLA as a foreign terrorist organization is seen as a significant step in the US’s efforts to counter terrorism in the region. Last month, the Trump administration also labeled The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a “foreign terrorist” group following an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in April that killed 26 people.
