The United States has ramped up its position against the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) based in Pakistan, formally declaring it a "foreign terrorist organisation."
The move, issued by the Department of State on Monday, is a follow-up to the organisation's previous designation as a "specially designated global terrorist" (SDGT) organisation in 2019. Alternatively referred to as the Majeed Brigade, the BLA was first assigned the initial SDGT designation following a series of fatal attacks in the year.
In accordance with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the higher designation "shows the Trump Administration's resolve to counter terrorism," as he stated that such designations "are a good method for eliminating support for terrorist operations." In contrast to the prior designation, which mostly addressed the financial streams of the group, the new designation renders it a criminal act for anyone in the US to provide any type of support to the BLA.
The group recently took responsibility for a March attack on a train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar that killed dozens of soldiers and passengers.
Balochistan, Pakistan's largest but least populous and poorest province, has been at the heart of several secessionist uprisings since 1947. The most recent rebellion started in the early 2000s, changing from demands for control over resources to ones for outright independence. Supporters claim Islamabad exploits the province's natural riches while ignoring its 15 million people. Strategically, Balochistan is where Gwadar's deep-sea ports are located, a vital link in connecting southwestern China to the Arabian Sea.
BLA activities have also put a strain on Pakistan–India relations, with Islamabad accusing Indian involvement — a charge New Delhi has rejected.
This action follows shortly after the Trump administration designated The Resistance Front (TRF), which Rubio termed an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, as a "foreign terrorist" organization after an April attack in Indian-held Kashmir killed 26 individuals.
Meanwhile, President Trump has taken a keen personal interest in having dialogue with Pakistan's leadership, having welcomed Army chief Asim Munir to lunch at the White House in June. His government has been at work on new investments for Pakistan, targeting natural resources and the newly emergent cryptocurrency market, as the tensions with India have risen over his tariff policy.
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