The U.S. Department of State, under the leadership of Secretary Marco Rubio, has officially designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its affiliated unit, the Majeed Brigade, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). The announcement, made today, also adds the Majeed Brigade as an alias under the BLA’s prior designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity.
This decision follows a series of violent attacks attributed to the BLA, including a high-profile train hijacking in March 2025. In that incident, BLA operatives commandeered the Jaffar Express en route from Quetta to Peshawar, resulting in the deaths of 31 civilians and security personnel. Over 300 passengers were taken hostage during the operation.
The Department of State also cited two suicide bombings carried out in 2024. One targeted an airport in Karachi, while the other struck the Gwadar Port Authority Complex. Both attacks demonstrated the group’s increasing capacity for complex and deadly operations, particularly those carried out by its Majeed Brigade wing.
Originally designated as an SDGT in 2019, the BLA has continued its violent insurgency against the Pakistani state, with the Majeed Brigade emerging as a central actor in its terrorist campaign. The new FTO designation intensifies legal and financial restrictions against the group, aiming to disrupt its global operations and funding networks.
“This designation reaffirms our administration’s unwavering commitment to counter-terrorism,” Secretary Rubio said in a statement. “Terrorist designations are a critical tool in our efforts to disrupt and isolate organizations that threaten global peace and security.”
The action was taken under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224. Once published in the Federal Register, the designation will carry significant legal consequences, including asset freezes, a prohibition on financial dealings with the group, and criminal penalties for providing material support.
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