Baloch Senator Samina Mumtaz urges UN to black list global terror threat BLA
Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri has urged the United Nations to declare the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) a globally designated terrorist organisation. She argued that the group does not represent the people of Balochistan but instead takes advantage of the province’s hardships to recruit young people into violent activities.
According to the senator, Balochistan continues to face severe poverty and underdevelopment, creating conditions that terrorist groups exploit. She claimed that the BLA mainly targets people between the ages of 15 and 25 through propaganda, isolation from their families and false promises, eventually turning some into suicide attackers linked to the Majeed Brigade.
The article states that terrorist groups carried out 938 attacks in Balochistan during 2024, marking a 53 percent increase from the previous year. It also says fatalities rose by 80 percent to more than 1,002, with the BLA claiming responsibility for hundreds of attacks.
As an example, the article highlights the March 2025 hijacking of the Jaffar Express, in which at least 31 people were killed and more than 300 passengers were held hostage. It also claims the Majeed Brigade carried out six major suicide missions within a year using a decentralised operational structure.
The senator describes the BLA as an organised terrorist network rather than a movement driven by genuine public grievances. She further claims the group has received outside support and points to the Kulbhushan Jadhav case as evidence of links with Indian intelligence, while also alleging growing operational ties between the BLA and the TTP.
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The article warns that continued violence could affect regional development and international economic interests. It says attacks on roads, ports, pipelines and projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor could damage trade, investment and connectivity across South Asia.
According to the article, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia have already designated the BLA and the Majeed Brigade under their domestic terrorism laws. It adds that a Pakistan-China proposal to list the BLA under the UN Security Council’s 1267 sanctions regime was rejected on technical grounds related to insufficient links with Al-Qaeda or ISIL.
The senator has called for renewed diplomatic efforts to secure the group’s inclusion on the UN sanctions list. She believes such a move would help restrict funding, limit the movement of its leaders and reduce the group’s international reach.
At the same time, she stressed that security measures alone would not solve the problem. She said long-term peace also depends on better governance, economic development, political inclusion and addressing the historical concerns of the people of Balochistan.
The article argues that international action against the BLA should go hand in hand with reforms inside Balochistan. It presents the view that lasting stability requires both stronger security measures and efforts to improve the lives of local people.
