Location of Balochistan in Pakistan

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The recent decision by the United States Department of State to designate the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its notorious wing, the Majeed Brigade, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) marks a significant diplomatic and strategic victory for Pakistan. This development not only validates Pakistan’s longstanding position as a victim of foreign-backed terrorism but also exposes the deep-seated network of external actors, particularly India, involved in fomenting instability in the region.

For decades, Pakistan has been at the receiving end of violent insurgencies, separatist movements, and terrorist attacks orchestrated through foreign proxies. The BLA and Majeed Brigade have been at the forefront of this campaign, carrying out deadly attacks on civilians, security forces, and vital national infrastructure. While Pakistan has consistently raised concerns at international forums about the BLA’s activities and its foreign sponsors, these warnings often fell on deaf ears—until now.

The designation by the US shines a global spotlight on the BLA’s operations and indirectly reveals the covert support they have received from India’s intelligence agency, RAW. There is ample evidence of RAW’s direct involvement in training and aiding BLA militants, providing them with financial and logistical support, and sheltering their operatives. Indian hospitals have reportedly treated injured BLA fighters, while Indian political leadership has openly admitted interference in Balochistan’s internal affairs.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s infamous 2016 speech in which he publicly referenced Balochistan was not merely rhetoric—it was a calculated declaration of India’s destabilizing agenda. Likewise, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval’s “offensive defense” strategy has manifested in the form of targeted insurgencies in Pakistan’s restive regions, using groups like the BLA as convenient proxies.

India’s involvement in terrorism is neither isolated to Pakistan nor limited to Balochistan. A pattern has emerged in recent years revealing India’s hand in transnational terrorist activities. The killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, assassination plots against Khalistani activists in the US and Australia, and coordinated covert operations in various countries have all pointed to a disturbing trend of Indian state-sponsored terrorism.

This modus operandi undermines India’s carefully cultivated global image as the “world’s largest democracy” and exposes its reality as a state willing to flout international law and norms to pursue its regional ambitions. The US designation of the BLA and Majeed Brigade, therefore, is not just a victory for Pakistan but also a wake-up call for the international community to take India’s destabilizing role more seriously.

Pakistan’s successful campaign to secure the FTO designation for the BLA and Majeed Brigade is the result of years of sustained diplomacy and counterterrorism efforts. Islamabad has persistently presented concrete evidence to the world—most notably the dossier revealing RAW’s links to terrorism in Pakistan and the capture of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, who confessed to orchestrating terrorist attacks on Pakistani soil.

This latest development reaffirms Pakistan’s credibility in the global counterterrorism discourse. It is an acknowledgment by a major world power that Pakistan’s security concerns are legitimate and rooted in undeniable facts. Furthermore, it strengthens Pakistan’s hand in demanding accountability from India for its sponsorship of terrorism.

While the US designation is a landmark moment, the fight is far from over. Pakistan must leverage this momentum to push for further international scrutiny of Indian activities in South Asia and beyond. It should continue to engage with global partners to ensure that India’s use of proxies like the BLA is universally condemned and met with tangible consequences.

The designation also provides an opportunity to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation between Pakistan and the US, as well as with other countries that recognize the threat posed by non-state actors operating with state backing. In doing so, Pakistan can further position itself as a key player in regional stability and an indispensable partner in the global fight against terrorism.

In conclusion, the US designation of the BLA and Majeed Brigade as Foreign Terrorist Organizations is more than just a symbolic gesture—it is an international affirmation of Pakistan’s long-held position. It lays bare India’s destructive role in the region, validates Pakistan’s sacrifices, and marks an important step toward holding state sponsors of terrorism accountable. For Pakistan, this is a diplomatic win worth celebrating, but also a reminder that the pursuit of justice against terrorism and its enablers must continue with renewed vigor.