The United States has blocked a joint bid by Pakistan and China at the United Nations Security Council to designate the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its affiliate, the Majeed Brigade, as terrorist entities. Islamabad and Beijing had submitted their joint proposal in September last year to the Security Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee, seeking to blacklist both groups.
Veto Powers Block the Proposal
It has been learned that the United States, France, and the United Kingdom—all permanent veto-wielding members of the Security Council—blocked the bid this month. Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, had previously stated that terrorist entities including ISIL-K, Al-Qaeda, Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, East Turkistan Islamic Movement, BLA, and the Majeed Brigade operate from sanctuaries in Afghanistan. He noted that more than 60 such terrorist camps serve as hubs for cross-border infiltration and attacks.
Pakistan's Role in the Security Council
Ahmed said at a UN Security Council meeting: "Pakistan and China have jointly submitted to the 1267 Sanctions Committee a request to designate the BLA and Majeed Brigade. We hope the Council will act swiftly on this listing to curb their terrorist activities." Pakistan currently sits on the 15-nation Security Council as a non-permanent member for the 2025-2026 term, while China is a permanent veto-wielding member. Pakistan also chaired the 1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee for 2025 and served as vice-chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee.
Historical Context of Chinese Vetoes
Previously, China had placed holds on several listing proposals made by India and its partners, including the US, to designate Pakistan-based terrorists and entities under the same 1267 sanctions regime. This has been a point of contention in international counter-terrorism efforts.
US Designation of BLA and Majeed Brigade
The US has designated the Balochistan Liberation Army and its alias, the Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The State Department added the Majeed Brigade as an alias to BLA's previous Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) designation. The State Department stated that this action "demonstrates the Trump Administration's commitment to countering terrorism. Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities."
BLA was designated as an SDGT by Washington in 2019 following several terrorist attacks. Since 2019, BLA has claimed responsibility for additional attacks, including those by the Majeed Brigade. In 2024, BLA claimed it had committed suicide attacks near the airport in Karachi and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex. In 2025, the organization claimed responsibility for the March hijacking of the Jaffar Express train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, killing 31 civilians and security personnel and holding hostage over 300 train passengers.
