The United States (US) has declared the insurgent group Balochistan Liberation Army and Majeed Brigade as terrorist organization.
The United States has officially designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade faction as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), according to a statement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The declaration was made under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, and Executive Order 13224.
Additionally, the Majeed Brigade has been added as an alias to the BLA’s existing designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity, a status the BLA has held since 2019 due to its involvement in multiple terrorist incidents, including the horrific attack on Jaffar Express and Karachi airport blast.
The development came at the time when Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir NI (M) is on official visit to US.
Addressing at a gathering of Pakistani-American community in United States he has said that India remains adamant about creating instability in the region but warned that Pakistan will swiftly respond to any Indian aggression with full force.
The Field Marshal said Pakistan gave a resolute and forceful response to the Indian provocation and succeeded in preventing a wider conflict.
The COAS raised concerns over the transnational terrorist activities of India’s intelligence agency RAW, citing the killing of a Sikh leader in Canada, the case of eight Indian naval officers in Qatar, and the arrest of Kulbhushan Jadhav as examples.
He said Pakistan had successfully countered India’s discriminatory and double standards through effective diplomacy.
Asim Munir accused India of serious violations of Pakistan’s sovereignty, resulting in the martyrdom of innocent civilians, which, he warned, had brought the region to the brink of war.
He said Pakistan responded resolutely to Indian provocations, but India remains committed to destabilising the region.
The Field Marshal Asim Munir thanked US President Donald Trump, crediting him for helping prevent not only the escalation of Pakistan-India tensions but also several other global conflicts.
The COAS said several terrorist groups including Khawarij, operating from Afghanistan are actively targeting Pakistan. He said that Pakistan serves as the last boundary against terrorism and that no sympathy would be extended to terrorists. All terrorists would be brought to justice with full force, he added.
