The United States announced on Monday that it has officially designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a Pakistan-based group, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).
The move comes as President Donald Trump seeks to expand engagement with Pakistan’s government. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the designation reflects the administration’s “commitment” to confronting terrorism, adding: “Terrorist classification plays a vital role in our fight against this scourge and is an effective tool for restricting support for terrorist activities.”
The BLA had previously been listed in 2019 as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity following a series of attacks. In March this year, the separatist group claimed responsibility for an attack on the “Jaffar Express” passenger train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, in which dozens of passengers and soldiers were killed.
Under the new designation, providing any form of support to the BLA within the United States is a criminal offense, whereas the earlier classification primarily targeted the group’s financial assets.
Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest but least populated and poorest province. Since the country’s formation in 1947, it has experienced at least five separatist insurgencies. Critics accuse the Pakistani state of systemic discrimination, as well as extrajudicial killings and arbitrary detentions.
Supporters of the separatist movement say Islamabad exploits the province’s resources while neglecting its population of 15 million. Strategically, Balochistan is home to several ports and plays a crucial role in China’s efforts to connect its southwest to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan.
Pakistan hosts several militant groups and frequently accuses India and the Taliban of backing them.
