US adds Balochistan Liberation Army to terrorism list

The United States on 2 July added Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) to its Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) list.

US Department of State accused Balochistan Liberation Army of “targetting Chinese engineers in Balochistan” and Gwadar terrorist attack.

The Department of State has designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Hizballah operative Husain Ali Hazzima as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, according to a State Department notification issues on Tuesday.

BLA is an armed separatist group that targets security forces and civilians, mainly in ethnic Baloch areas of Pakistan. BLA has carried out several terrorist attacks in the past year, including a suicide attack in August 2018 that targeted Chinese engineers in Balochistan, a November 2018 attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi, and a May 2019 attack against a luxury hotel in Gwadar, Balochistan, the State Department said.

Pakistan has welcomed the move and hoped that “designation will ensure that BLA’s space to operate is minimized”.

“We have taken note of the designation by the US Administration of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). BLA remains a proscribed entity in Pakistan since 2006 and in recent times has carried out several terrorist attacks in the country,” a statement from Pakistani government said. “It is hoped that this designation will ensure that BLA’s space to operate is minimized. It is important that the perpetrators, organizers, financers and external sponsors including those glorifying these acts of terror against Pakistan are held accountable and brought to justice,” it said.