Pakistan has called on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to act swiftly to designate the “foreign-funded” Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as a terrorist organization under the UN’s sanctions regime.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, made the call while addressing a Security Council debate on “Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts.”
His remarks followed a spate of coordinated attacks in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, for which the BLA claimed responsibility. The attacks killed around 50 civilians, including women and children.
In response, Pakistani security forces have launched what authorities describe as a large-scale operation against militant groups identified by Islamabad as Fitna al Khawarij (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP) and Fitna al Hindustan (BLA), including its Majeed Brigade. On Thursday, Pakistan’s military said more than 150 militants had been killed in operations over the past week.
US Condemns Balochistan Attacks, Reaffirms Support for Stability in Pakistan
The militant groups claim they are fighting the Pakistani state to secure a greater share of Balochistan’s natural resources for the welfare of the province’s people.
Islamabad rejects these claims, saying the groups do not represent the Baloch population and are instead financed by foreign states, most notably India.
India denies the allegations, though officials from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party have in the past spoken of exerting pressure on Pakistan through unrest in Balochistan. The province is of strategic importance to both China, due to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and the United States, which has interests linked to rare earth mineral reserves.
Addressing the Council, Ambassador Ahmad said militant groups such as the BLA had gained a “new lease of life” following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.
He noted that the United Nations broadly shares Pakistan’s concerns regarding terrorism emanating from across the Afghan border and has repeatedly warned of the threat such groups pose to regional and international peace and security. The United States has already designated the BLA as a foreign terrorist organization.
US designates Balochistan Liberation Army as foreign terrorist organization
“We hope the Council will act swiftly to designate the BLA under the 1267 sanctions regime, acceding to the listing request that is currently under consideration,” the Pakistani envoy told the 15-member body.
“These terrorist groups pose a threat not only to Pakistan, but to the entire region and beyond,” he said. “Recent terrorist activity in Central Asia close to the Afghan border has validated earlier warnings.”
Ambassador Ahmad also warned of the risk posed by weapons left behind in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of foreign forces. “It has become imperative to prevent the billions of dollars’ worth of sophisticated weapons and equipment from falling into the hands of terrorists,” he said.
Calling for a coordinated international response, he said the global community must address contemporary terrorist threats through the balanced implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
“We must effectively tackle the terrorist threats from Afghanistan,” he added, alleging that groups such as the BLA and TTP operate with “virtual impunity” from Afghan soil and with the “active support of our eastern neighbor,” an apparent reference to India.
Citing findings by the Security Council’s Monitoring Team, Ambassador Ahmad said Afghanistan’s de facto authorities provide a permissive environment for several terrorist organizations, including the TTP and Al-Qaeda, while ISIL-K (Da’esh) remains active with an external focus and members of ETIM/TIP move freely within the country.
He also stressed the need for accountability of what he described as external destabilizing actors that support, finance and arm militant groups, including their proxies in Afghanistan.
“There must be zero tolerance for state terrorism,” he said, referring to what he described as India’s actions in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
“Occupation and accompanying repression cannot be masked as counterterrorism to suppress internationally recognized and UN-sanctioned legitimate struggles of peoples against foreign occupation and for their inalienable right to self-determination, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and international law,” he added.
Iftikhar Ali is a veteran Pakistani journalist, former president of UN Correspondents Association, and a recipient of the Pride of Performance civil award
