The United States has appointed Balochistan Liberation Army (Bla) and its alias, Majeed Brigade, as foreign terrorist organizations (FTO), confirmed the Ministry of State in a statement Monday.
The statement also said that Majeed Brigade has also been added as an alias to Bla’s previously specially designated global terrorist (SDGT) list, making it a crime in the United States to provide support to the groups.
Bla was first appointed as a specially designated global terrorists (SDGT) in 2019 after several terrorist attacks. Since then, the group has assumed responsibility for additional violent events, including attacks carried out by Majeed Brigade, the statement added.
State Secretary Marco Rubio stated that today’s action emphasizes Trump administration’s obligation to counter terrorism. “Terrorist terms play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and is an effective way of limiting support for terrorist activities,” Rubio said.
In July, Pakistan called on the international community to adopt objective and non-discriminatory policies to tackle the global threat of terrorism through collective endeavors, calling for the involvement of terrorist organizations such as Majeed Brigade, as an alias in, among others, in international terrorist lists.
The new step is coming as President Donald Trump increases contact with Pakistan, who was held at arm’s length by his predecessor Joe Biden, whose administration opposed Islamabad’s role in the two-year war in Afghanistan.
In 2024, among others, the responsibility for suicide attacks near Karachi Airport and Gwadar Port Authority complex assumed. In March 2025, the group claimed that it hijacked the Jaffar Express train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, killed 31 civilians and security staff and took more than 300 passengers hostage.
Last month, the Trump administration also appointed as terrorists a shadowy group accused an April attack in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, as New Delhi accused of Pakistan. An accusation Islamabad is refused categorically.
We welcome the American decision to designate, among other things, and its alias Majeed Brigade as terrorist gear. Credit to the Federal Government and Field Marshal Asim Munir to present Pakistan’s case to the US administration. These groups have long thrown innocent blood under the false coverage of …
– Sarfraz Bugti (@paksarfrazbugti) August 11, 2025
Meanwhile, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti greeted the American decision to appoint Balochistan Liberation Army (bla) and its alias, Majeed Brigade, as terrorist organizations. He credited the federal government and Field Marshal Asim Munir to effectively present Pakistan’s case to the Trump administration.
“These groups have long thrown innocent blood under the false coverage of ethnicity and rights,” said CM. “Terrorism is terrorism; no reason justifies to kill civilians. The world must unite to end this threat,” he added.
