September 19, 2025 – In a significant diplomatic setback for Islamabad and Beijing, the United States, United Kingdom, and France have blocked a joint move by Pakistan and China at the United Nations to designate the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its suicide wing, the Majeed Brigade, as terrorist organizations under the UN Security Council’s 1267 sanctions regime.
According to reports, Pakistan and China had pushed the proposal before the 1267 Sanctions Committee, citing repeated cross-border terror attacks and threats to regional security. However, the Western powers placed a technical hold on the move, arguing that the evidence provided failed to establish sufficient links between the BLA/Majeed Brigade and international terror outfits such as Al Qaeda and ISIL, a necessary criterion for blacklisting under the UN framework.
The decision has sparked sharp disappointment in Pakistan, which has long accused the BLA and Majeed Brigade of orchestrating violent attacks against its security forces and infrastructure, often with alleged sanctuaries across the border in Afghanistan. China too has been a target of these groups, particularly with assaults on projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Notably, the United States had already designated the BLA and Majeed Brigade as terrorist organizations under its domestic laws, but resisted extending the tag at the UN level. The technical hold leaves the proposal pending and open for review at a later stage, depending on further consultations and intelligence inputs.
The move underscores the continuing divide within the international community on counter-terrorism designations, with Pakistan and China pressing for greater global action against regional militant outfits, while Western nations remain cautious under strict UN criteria.
