Pakistan, with support from China, recently submitted a joint proposal to the UN Security Council's 1267 Sanctions Committee to designate the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its suicide squad, the Majeed Brigade, as terrorist entities. However, the United States, United Kingdom, and France placed a six-month technical hold on this bid, stating there is not enough evidence to link these groups to Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State (ISIL), which is required under the committee's rules. This development comes amid rising tensions in Pakistan's Balochistan province, where the BLA has carried out several attacks, and highlights geopolitical differences in how countries view regional insurgencies versus global terrorism.
What is the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and its Role in Global Security?
The UNSC is the main body of the United Nations responsible for maintaining world peace and security, made up of 15 countries: five permanent members (US, UK, France, China, Russia) with veto power, and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms, like Pakistan currently.
It handles threats like wars, terrorism, and conflicts by passing resolutions that all UN members must follow, such as creating sanctions committees to target specific dangers.
In this case, the UNSC's work affects how countries deal with groups seen as terrorists, helping to stop their funding and movements globally.
What is the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee and Why Was It Created?
This committee was set up in 1999 under UNSC Resolution 1267 to target Osama bin Laden, Al-Qaeda, and the Taliban after attacks like the 1998 US embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, which killed 224 people and hurt over 4,000.
Its job is to list people and groups linked to Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or ISIL (added in 2015 via Resolution 2253), and impose sanctions like freezing money, banning travel, and stopping weapon supplies.
As of 2025, it lists 255 individuals and 89 groups, ensuring countries work together to fight these specific global terror threats, but it does not cover all types of militants, only those connected to these networks.
How Does the Process of Designating a Group as a Terrorist Work in the 1267 Committee?
Any UN member country can suggest a name for the list by sending a "statement of case" with proof of links to Al-Qaeda, ISIL, or the Taliban to the committee, which has the same 15 members as the UNSC.
The proposal is reviewed in secret, and members have 10 working days to check it; if no one objects, it gets approved by agreement, not a vote.
A member can put a "hold" to ask for more time or details, like a technical hold for six months (which can be extended), or block it completely if they disagree.
If listed, the group faces worldwide sanctions; to remove a name later, all members must agree again, making the process careful and based on shared views.
What is the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Why is It Active?
The BLA is a group of Baloch people fighting for independence from Pakistan in Balochistan, the country's largest province by area (about 347,000 square kilometers, or 44% of Pakistan), but home to only 5% of its people and rich in resources like oil, gas, and minerals.
Baloch people feel ignored by Pakistan's government, which they say takes resources without helping the area, leading to poverty and unrest; since 1948, when Baloch areas joined Pakistan by force, there have been five big uprisings (1948, 1958-59, 1962-63, 1973-77, and from 2005 onward).
The BLA started in the early 2000s and grew stronger after Pakistan's army killed leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti in 2006, turning more Baloch youth, including students, toward fighting for full freedom instead of just better rights.
What is the Majeed Brigade and Its Role in the BLA?
The Majeed Brigade is the BLA's special unit for suicide attacks, named after Majeed Langove, who tried to kill Pakistan's Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1974.
Active since 2010, it has done big attacks, like the 2024 bombings near Karachi airport and Gwadar Port, which is part of China's big projects in Pakistan.
In March 2025, the BLA, through this brigade, hijacked the Jaffar Express train, holding over 300 people and killing 31, showing their focus on hitting Pakistan's forces and projects.
Why Did Pakistan Propose Listing the BLA at the UNSC, and Who Supported It?
Pakistan sees the BLA as a big threat because of its attacks on soldiers, buildings, and people, and claims it works with other terror groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISIL-Khorasan from Afghanistan, sharing training, weapons, and plans.
With China's help—a close friend and permanent UNSC member—Pakistan asked the committee to list the BLA to get global help in stopping its money and movements, especially after attacks on Chinese projects like Gwadar.
Pakistan hoped the US's own listing of the BLA as a terrorist group in August 2025 would make the UN agree, but it did not.
Why Did the US, UK, and France Place a Technical Hold on the Proposal?
These countries said there is not enough proof that the BLA and Majeed Brigade are linked to Al-Qaeda or ISIL, which is needed for the 1267 list; the committee only targets those specific networks, not all militants.
Even though the US called the BLA a terrorist group nationally in 2019 and again in 2025, they want more details for a UN listing, showing a difference between country-level actions and global ones.
This hold lasts six months, giving Pakistan time to share more evidence, but if not, the proposal might fail.
What Are the Impacts of This Technical Hold on Pakistan, the BLA, and the Region?
For Pakistan, it is a setback because without UN listing, it is harder to get worldwide help against the BLA, and it shows divisions among big powers on what counts as global terrorism versus local fights.
The BLA might keep operating without extra global pressure, but Pakistan's own bans and US listings still hurt its work; this could make Baloch unrest worse if people feel ignored internationally.
In the region, it affects ties: China backs Pakistan due to its investments, while India watches closely as Pakistan accuses it of helping the BLA (which India denies), and it highlights human rights issues in Balochistan, like missing people and killings.
Overall, it shows how politics can influence terror listings, possibly making it harder to fight real threats if countries disagree on links.
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