Pakistan welcomes US designation of BLA, Majeed Brigade as terrorist entities
The US state department had announced the designation on Monday, adding the Majeed Brigade as an alias of the BLA and expanding sanctions, travel bans, and legal penalties for supporters. The decision imposes sweeping sanctions and is seen as underscoring a rare moment of US-Pakistan security alignment, arriving just as army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir engages in high-level talks in Washington.
Pakistan's foreign office said it outlawed the BLA in 2006 and banned the Majeed Brigade on July 18, 2024.
Both have been blamed for 'heinous' acts, including the March 2025 Jaffar Express hijacking, which killed more than 30 people, and the Khuzdar bus bombing, which claimed dozens of civilian lives.
The US move came as Munir made his second high-level visit to Washington in two months, sparking speculation over expanded cooperation on counterterrorism, intelligence sharing, and regional stability.
Security analysts say the designation reflects converging US-Pakistan interests in Balochistan, a province rich in minerals and home to the strategic Gwadar port.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Seniors are going crazy for these comfy, stylish, easy-on shoes
Ultra-Comfortable Shoes
Undo
The BLA and Majeed Brigade have repeatedly targeted Chinese nationals, infrastructure, and projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in an attempt to derail investment and development.
Pakistan has intensified military operations in Balochistan in recent months, killing more than 50 suspected militants linked to BLA splinter groups in Zhob, Kech, and Gwadar. Officials believe US backing will help choke off funding, disrupt safe havens, and counter online propaganda.
For Islamabad, the US designation is more than a symbolic victory, it is a strategic opportunity to align international action with domestic priorities in its decades-long battle against insurgency.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
19 minutes ago
- Time of India
Houthis Say Four 'STRATEGIC' Israeli Sites Attacked With Drones; IDF Denies Claim
India Should Put Out That It Wont Be Intimidated by Trump's 50% Tariff, Says South Asia Expert The US-imposed 50% tariff on Indian goods could hit India's competitive edge in global trade, warns Washington-based South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman. With rivals like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Vietnam facing lower tariffs, India's key export sectors, especially textiles, risk losing market share unless New Delhi adapts. Kugelman says India must fast-track trade agreements with partners like the EU to offset losses. He also links the tariffs to an upcoming US-Russia meeting, calling it Trump's last-ditch bid to pressure Vladimir Putin into a ceasefire in Ukraine. If successful, the deal could ease trade tensions for India. Until then, the tariffs remain a major challenge, testing India's ability to protect its exports while preserving strategic autonomy. The high-stakes game now hinges on both economic agility and geopolitical negotiation.#trump #india #russia #tariff #pmmodi #ustradetariff #exports #trade #economy #geopolitics #worldnews #usindia #russianoil #trumptariffs #indiausrelation #indiarussiarelation #michaelkugelman #trumpnews #worldnews #energycrisis #geopolitics #breakingnews #trending #trendingnow #toi #bharat #toibharat #indianews 3.5K views | 20 hours ago
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
19 minutes ago
- First Post
From Florida with folly: How Munir's nuclear threat to India is both reckless and unprecedented
Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir is being actively courted by Washington. On June 18, US President Donald Trump, in a stunning and unprecedented gesture, received Munir at the White House for a meeting that went on for two hours over lunch. Within two months, Munir again visited the US to attend the change of guard of the US Central Command, which is based in Florida. The Central Command's remit extends to West Asia, North Africa, and Central Asia and also includes Pakistan. The US has always ensured that India and Pakistan are not covered by the same Command. Thus, India falls within the responsibility of the Hawaii-based Indo-Pacific Command, while Pakistan is under the Central Command. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD General Michael Erik Kurilla, who had led the Command since 2022, handed over charge, on retirement, to Admiral Brad Cooper on August 10. Appearing before the US House of Representatives' Foreign Affairs Committee in June, Kurilla praised Pakistan's 'phenomenal' cooperation with the US in efforts to combat the terrorist group ISIS-Khorasan. He also underlined that the US could separately maintain good ties with both India and Pakistan. Munir was invited, along with some senior officers of foreign countries, to the handover ceremony held on August 10. During his visit, Munir also met the senior-most US military officer, General Dan Caine, who is Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.A prominent Indian journalist reported on August 10 that Munir attended a dinner hosted in his honour by the Pakistani Honorary Consul, Adnan Asad, while he was in Florida. Around 120 members of the Pakistani expatriate community were invited to the event. Munir spoke on the occasion; no copy of his speech was released, nor were guests allowed to take any recording devices. He did, however, have a prepared text. It is obvious from the aggressive and controversial remarks that he made that Munir not only knew but wanted them to become public despite the guests being prevented from taking in recording devices, which would naturally have included smartphones. Nowadays, it is simply impossible to ensure that no electronic record is made of a speech during a dinner such as the one hosted by Asad. In his address, Munir launched into a tirade against India. He warned that if India constructed a dam over the Indus river, Pakistani missiles could destroy it. This was clearly in the context of Pakistan's repeated assertion that Indian attempts to stop the flow of waters, assigned to it under the Indus Waters Treaty, would be an act of war. He went on to say that if Pakistan faced any existential threat—and hinted that if the Pakistani people were deprived of water, it would be just that—then, if it goes down, it would take half the world with it. This was an indirect but unmistakable reference to a nuclear war. He also said that Pakistan would act against India beginning with the east—where it kept most of its 'valuable resources'—and move to the west. He also referred to a tweet which he had commissioned. The tweet had the Quranic verse Surah Fil with a picture of Mukesh Ambani. The implication of such a tweet was to warn Indian industrialists that their assets could be destroyed by Pakistan. Munir also gave ugly analogies of how Pakistan could damage India. And, to crown it all, he said that India should show 'sportsman spirit' and own the losses it had suffered in the recent fighting—a reference to Operation Sindoor. He said that Pakistan would do the same. This was a means of reinforcing the claim that Pakistan had got the better of India in Operation Sindoor. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Significantly, as Munir's hostile remarks against India were made in the US, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued only an anodyne account of his interaction with the Pakistani expatriate community. It did not want Munir to be criticized by the US military for misusing its hospitality. The ISPR noted: 'During an interactive session with the Pakistani diaspora, COAS urged them to remain confident in Pakistan's bright future and to actively contribute to attracting investments. The diaspora reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Pakistan's progress and development.' It is noteworthy that the ISPR did not refer at all to Munir's anti-India rant. However, an account in the Pakistani media, which bears the hallmark of an official leak, did mention that Pakistan could destroy any dam India constructed over the Indus river. Thus, Pakistan's respected daily Dawn quoted Munir as saying: 'We will wait for India to build a dam, and when they do so, we will destroy it. The Indus river is not the Indians' family property. We have no shortage of resources to undo the Indian designs to stop the river.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD No Pakistani Army chief has ever made such a statement. It is foolish for two reasons. If Pakistan destroys a future dam built on the Indus river or any river flowing into Pakistan, not only India but Pakistan will be inundated by the waters released from the destroyed dam. And, what if India responds by targeting the Tarbela Dam on the Indus river and the Mangla Dam on the Jhelum? Both are in Pakistan and contain large bodies of water. Their sudden release would cause enormous floods that would damage large areas of Pakistan. On July 11, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement on reports of Munir's utterly irresponsible remarks in Florida. The statement noted: 'Our attention has been drawn to remarks reportedly made by the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff while on a visit to the United States. Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan's stock-in-trade. The international community can draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks, which also reinforce the well-held doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups. It is also regrettable that these remarks should have been made from the soil of a friendly third country. India has already made it clear that it will not give in to nuclear blackmail. We will take all steps necessary to safeguard our own security.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a response issued also on August 11, the Pakistan Foreign Ministry stated: 'Pakistan strongly rejects the immature remarks made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs earlier today, which is yet another demonstration of their chronic tendency to distort facts and twist statements out of context. The Indian narrative of an alleged 'nuclear blackmail' is a misleading and self-serving construct. Pakistan remains firmly opposed to the use or threat of use of force. India's sabre-rattling and war-mongering whenever confronted invite unfounded allegations bereft of rationality. Pakistan is a responsible nuclear weapon state with an elaborate command and control structure under full civilian control. It has always exercised discipline and restraint while dealing with issues of such importance.' It continued, 'Pakistan's sustained and credible counterterrorism efforts are internationally acknowledged. Our security forces remain the bulwark against terrorism. The Indian MEA's spurious insinuations are irresponsible and without a shred of evidence. We also note with concern a pointless reference to third countries in a bid to exert pressure on Pakistan. This not only reflects India's lack of diplomatic confidence but also constitutes a futile attempt to unnecessarily involve other countries. Contrary to India's belligerent and jingoistic approach, Pakistan shall continue to act as a responsible member of the comity of nations. However, any act of Indian aggression or violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity will be met with an immediate and matching response. The onus of any ensuing escalation will rest squarely with the Indian leadership.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This writer has deliberately quoted the statements of both countries in full to point out that the Pakistani statement does not mention Munir's comments at all. Indeed, the starting point of the Indian statement is Munir's comments and their implications. In order to refute India's statement, all that Pakistan had to do was to give a full account of what Munir had said at the dinner. From that, it could have proceeded to assert that nothing in what he had said could be construed as India had claimed. However, it chose not to follow this logical and diplomatic approach. The only inference which can be drawn is that the Indian journalist's account of Munir's threats is correct. It also follows that the Indian statement is valid. In addition to the MEA statement, India should lodge a strong protest with the State Department in Washington against Munir making such anti-India comments in the US. This is clearly contrary to diplomatic practice. India should demand that the State Department deplore the fact that Munir had used US territory to indulge in issuing what were nuclear threats. Naturally, the State Department may be reluctant to do so because of the current warmth in US-Pakistan ties and the role America wants it to play as a conduit to Iran. It may also be chary of pulling up Munir because he has obviously made a good impression on Trump—after all, he has been a prime mover in Pakistan nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD India must carefully monitor developments between the US military and the Pakistan armed forces. They were very close in the past, and Kurilla's positive remarks indicate that the US military wants them to become close again. Its anger against the Pakistani military's duplicity in Afghanistan, which contributed to the US's strategic defeat in the 'forever' war, seems to be a matter of the past for the US military. The writer is a former Indian diplomat who served as India's Ambassador to Afghanistan and Myanmar, and as secretary, the Ministry of External Affairs. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
Oil, crypto or rare earths? What's behind Donald Trump's new-found love for Pakistan
Donald Trump and Shehbaz Sharif US President Donald Trump's increasingly warm ties with Pakistan are raising eyebrows in New Delhi, with moves ranging from crypto partnerships and oil shipments to rare earths cooperation. The shift comes amid tensions between India and Pakistan following New Delhi's retaliation to Pakistan-backed terror attack in J&K's Pahalgam. Trump has credited himself, repeatedly, with defusing potential conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, praised Pakistan's military leadership, and even backed trade deals that mark Islamabad's first US crude oil imports. While Pakistan lauds his diplomacy, critics in India see strategic, economic and political motives — from cryptocurrency ventures and mineral access to countering Chinese influence. According to The Washington Post, some analysts believe this rekindled interest is 'less about oil than access to minerals and rare earths,' vital to the US economy and defence technology. Yet the timing — alongside deepening military cooperation and public praise for Pakistan's generals — suggests multiple drivers behind Trump's policy shift. Energy, crypto or something deeper? First-ever US crude heads to Pakistan Pakistan is set to receive its first-ever crude oil shipment from the United States later this year after US President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with Islamabad. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like We Have No Words For Dog The Bounty Hunter's Transformation Reportingly Undo Trump also pledged that Washington would help Pakistan develop what he called 'massive oil reserves'. The agreement followed several rounds of discussions that began in April, after Trump revealed plans to impose a 29% tariff on Pakistani imports. Under the deal, Pakistan's biggest refinery, Cnergyico, has finalised a contract with Vitol to import one million barrels of American crude — marking the country's first acquisition of US oil. Vice chairman Usama Qureshi confirmed the arrangement to Reuters on Friday, noting that oil is Pakistan's largest import commodity, worth $11.3 billion in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, or roughly one-fifth of total imports. Crypto pact with Trump-linked firm In April, amid heightened India–Pakistan tensions, Pakistan courted World Liberty Financial, a decentralised finance platform with 60% Trump family ownership, according to an Economic Times report. The company signed a preliminary agreement with the Pakistan Crypto Council to boost blockchain technology in the country just five days after a terror attack in Pahalgam killed 26 tourists. The Dawn newspaper reported that a World Liberty delegation met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief General Asim Munir, formalising a 'Letter of Intent… to accelerate blockchain innovation, stablecoin adoption and decentralised finance integration across Pakistan.' DT Marks DEFI LLC — linked to the Trump family — holds a 60% stake in World Liberty's parent company and claims 75% of specified crypto revenue streams. Trump serves as 'Chief Crypto Advocate', with Eric and Donald Jr as 'Web3 Ambassadors' and Barron Trump as 'DeFi Visionary'. Islamabad's Nobel push for Trump Islamabad has nominated Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, crediting his 'decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership' in easing tensions with India. Trump claimed: 'I should have gotten it four or five times. They won't give me a Nobel Peace Prize because they only give it to liberals.' India rejects the notion he was responsible for the ceasefire after the Pahalgam attack, but Trump insists: 'Well, I stopped a war… I love Pakistan. I think Modi is a fantastic man… But I stopped the war between Pakistan and India.' Pakistan's army chief will attend a White House lunch with Trump, following his endorsement of the nomination. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration over being overlooked for the award, often contrasting his record with Barack Obama's 2009 win. Minerals, rare earths and strategic stakes The Washington Post reports that some US officials are eyeing Pakistan's untapped reserves of rare earth minerals critical to electronics and defence technology. Rising tensions with China — the main supplier — have increased Washington's interest in alternative sources. US officials even attended the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum in April. China is already developing a 2,000-mile transport network linking northern Pakistan to a deep-sea port in the south, but insurgent violence in Baluchistan and Taliban militancy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa threaten projects. Baluch separatists recently attacked mining trucks, warning that anyone 'involved in the looting of Baloch national resources' would be targeted. Targeting the Baloch insurgency On Monday, the US designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade armed wing as Foreign Terrorist Organisations. The BLA has claimed multiple attacks, including the March 2025 hijacking of the Jaffar Express train, killing 31. The designation reflects what the Trump administration calls a commitment to 'countering terrorism'. It follows Munir's high-profile White House lunch in June — a rare honour for a Pakistani military chief — without any civilian leaders present. Trump's tango with Islamabad Kurilla's glowing praise In testimony to a US congressional panel, General Michael Kurilla, head of US Central Command, described Pakistan as a 'phenomenal partner' in counter-terrorism, citing its willingness to extradite terrorists who attacked US interests. Kurilla praised army chief Munir for capturing and offering to extradite Mohammad Sharifullah, mastermind of the 2021 Kabul airport attack that killed 13 US troops. He also confirmed a Pakistani national's extradition for plotting a 2024 terror attack on a Jewish centre in New York. However, Kurilla's remarks highlighted Pakistan's selective cooperation — handing over terrorists to Washington but rejecting India's similar requests. Indian MPs visiting Washington underscored that major terrorists targeting the US, from Osama bin Laden to Ramzi Yousef, were captured in Pakistan. Munir's double US visits Munir visited the US for the second time in two months, this time to attend Kurilla's retirement ceremony. His previous visit in June included an unprecedented private White House lunch with Trump, where the US president credited him with averting a 'nuclear war' with India. But Munir's visits have sparked protests by supporters of jailed former PM Imran Khan, who accuse the military of suppressing democracy. Demonstrations outside venues in Washington and New York branded Munir a 'dictator' and 'fraud'. Despite criticism, the Trump administration continues to court Pakistan's military, discussing cooperation on rare earths, tech regulation, and expanded trade ties. Critics say bypassing civilian leaders reinforces the army's dominance in Pakistan's politics.
