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Arab Times
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab Times
US designates Baloch separatists as a terror group over role in attacks in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Aug 12, (AP): The United States designated a Pakistan separatist group as a foreign terrorist organization, the State Department said, a move hailed Tuesday by Pakistani officials. The designation of the Balochistan Liberation Army and its fighting wing, the Majeed Brigade, blamed for deadly attacks in Balochistan province, coincides with a visit to the US by Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir. The announcement comes less than two weeks after Washington and Islamabad reached a trade agreement expected to allow U.S. firms to help develop Pakistan's largely untapped oil reserves in resource-rich Balochistan and to lower trade tariffs for Islamabad. The State Department is "designating the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, the Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), and adding the Majeed Brigade as an alias to BLA's previous Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) designation," the agency said in a statement. The BLA was first designated a terrorist group in 2019 by the U.S. Treasury Department after several attacks. The State Department said its designation was added because since then the group has claimed responsibility for additional attacks. The BLA claimed responsibility for suicide bombings near the airport in Karachi and in the port city of Gwadar in Balochistan in 2024, the statement said. The group said it carried out the March hijacking of the Jaffar Express train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, killing 31 civilians and security personnel and holding more than 300 passengers hostage, the State Department said. "Today's action taken by the Department of State demonstrates the Trump administration's commitment to countering terrorism,' the US statement said. Syed Muhammad Ali, an Islamabad-based security analyst, said the designation of the BLA and its Majeed Brigade fighting wing follows Munir's visits to the US. The designation "indicates a major policy shift by the Trump administration toward South Asia, highlighting the growing role of military diplomacy, deepening bilateral cooperation on counterterrorism, and showing that Washington shares Pakistan's security concerns about Baloch insurgents,' he said.
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First Post
14 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
How US' terrorist tag for Balochistan Liberation Army is a win for Pakistan's Asim Munir
Asim Munir has scored a diplomatic win for Pakistan as the US has declared the Balochistan Liberation Army and its death squad, the Majeed Brigade — a foreign terrorist organisation. This helps perpetrate the narrative that Islamabad is a victim, and not a facilitator of terrorism read more A man carries a portrait of Pakistani army Chief General Syed Asim Munir. The labelling of the BLA comes at a time when he was in the US, indicating that his relationship with America is only improving. File image/AFP The Pakistan-United States relationship grows from strength to strength. After inviting Asim Munir to America twice in a month, the US State Department on Monday officially designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, the Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO). 'Today, the Department of State is designating the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, the Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation, and adding the Majeed Brigade as an alias to BLA's previous Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) desgination,' said the Department on Monday (August 11). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The move reflects US President Donald Trump's administration's commitment to 'countering terrorism.' We take a closer look at what exactly are these groups, why they have been designated as terror organisations, and how its advantageous to Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir. About the Baloch Liberation Army Formed in the early 2000s, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) emerged with the intention of establishing an independent state of Balochistan. They claim that the people of Baloch have been excluded — economically and politically — by the Pakistan government. Analysts studying the Baloch resistance movements say the BLA was led by Balach Marri, son of veteran Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Khair Bakhsh Marri. As per Indian Express, the BLA is currently led by Basheer Zeb. It draws in its cadres from the Marri, Bugti and Mengal clans that exist in Balochistan. Though some analysts put the present strength of the BLA at 6,000, the number of sympathisers to the Baloch cause is much higher. Today, the new generation of young social media savvy Baloch university graduates is the main support base of the group. The BLA's funding continues to be a mystery with analysts pointing to extortion, smuggling and drug trafficking. However, Pakistan maintains that India funds the BLA, a claim that many experts question. Islamabad-based Imtiaz Baloch from The Khorasan Diary, however, said income from massive coal mines in Balochistan province is a main economic source for the group. Since its inception, the BLA has carried out attacks on Pakistani security officials, government structures, and installations, including Chinese-funded installations under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This resulted in it being deemed a terror organisation in Pakistan in 2006, with the US designating it as an SDGT in 2019. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The BLA along with its Majeed Brigade has claimed responsibility for several attacks in Pakistan. File image/AFP The Majeed Brigade, explained The Majeed Brigade is considered the 'special forces division' of the BLA. It derives its name from two brothers — Majeed Langove Senior and Majeed Langove Junior. While Senior was killed while attempting to assassinate then Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto during the latter's official visit to Quetta in 1974, Junior was killed trying to save his associates during a Pakistani security forces raid in 2010. To honour them, the BLA decided to form a suicide squad and named it the Majeed Brigade. Today, the Majeed Brigade is a well-armed group and is in possession of high-grade weapons. It also has access to sophisticated explosives like C4 for making suicide vests. A RFEL report cites that the BLA and its units obtained American weapons and military equipment after they pulled out of Afghanistan in 2021. Some experts also note that as of today, the Majeed Brigade is made up of no more than 100 to 150 members, including women. BLA and Majeed Brigade's rein of terror in Pakistan Over the years, the BLA and its Majeed Brigade have been held responsible for numerous deadly attacks targeting security forces and critical infrastructure. The most recent attack perpetrated by members of the group was the hijacking of the Jaffar Express, which was carrying 400-odd passengers that included dozens of security personnel, in March. As the train was passing through the Dhadar area of Bolan Pass, terrorists blew up the railway track and killed at least 10 security personnel, forcing the train to a halt. The attackers claimed that passengers on the train were hostages now — though dozens of passengers later reached Panir. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It was hours later that Pakistan's security forces said they had killed all 33 attackers of the BLA, putting an end to the attack. A cameraman films the Jaffar Express train, riddled with bullet holes, after it was attacked by members of the BLA in Bolan, at the Railway Station in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan. File image/Reuters But the train hijacking isn't a lone incident. On October 7, 2024, the BLA claimed responsibility for a blast that targeted Karachi's airport road, killing two Chinese nationals and injuring 10 Pakistani nationals. In 2022, the Majeed Brigade deployed a 31-year-woman to carry out a suicide attack. She killed three Chinese citizens and their Pakistani driver in front of the Confucius Institute in the southern seaport city of Karachi on April 26. On June 29, 2020, the BLA attacked the Karachi stock exchange, killing at least three people — two guards and a policeman. According to the police, the attackers armed with grenades and automatic rifles. They launched the attack by opening fire at the entrance gate of the Pakistan Stock Exchange in the southern port city, the country's financial centre. Eight minutes later, the attack ended with the death of all the attackers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The BLA also claimed responsibility for storming the Pearl Continental, a five-star hotel in the port city of Gwadar, in May 2019. Their intention behind the attack was to go after 'Chinese and other foreign investors'. A paramilitary soldier walks past the wreckages of cars after an attack on the Chinese consulate, in Karachi, Pakistan in 2018. File image/Reuters In 2018, the BLA also targeted the Chinese Consulate in Karachi. Security forces killed all three attackers and secured the building shortly after the raid. Analysts note that the BLA and its Majeed Brigade have often targeted Chinese officials as a result of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which they term as an 'imperialist' endeavour. Good news for Munir The designation of the BLA and Majeed Brigade as a terrorist organisation came at a time when Pakistan army chief Asim Munir was in the United States — a move that he will take as a diplomatic win. Moreover, analysts note that by naming the BLA as a terror organisation, Pakistan and Munir have effectively showcased that they are victims, not perpetrators and facilitators, of terrorism. Also with this move, the BLA's funding will be choked as it triggers restrictions on providing financial support and other aid to the group. This step could also help Pakistan's army to counter the group. Until now, Pakistan hasn't found much success in its counterterrorism efforts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Notably, the timing of the move is significant. It comes days after a Baloch leader wrote an open letter to US President Donald Trump, warning him that he had been misled by Munir on the ' massive oil reserves' in Pakistan. He wrote that the reserves of oil, natural gas, copper, and rare earth minerals are not located in actual Pakistan and belong to the 'Republic of Balochistan'. He added that Balochistan is not for sale. 'We will not permit Pakistan, China, or any other foreign power to exploit our land or its resources without the explicit consent of the Baloch people.' With inputs from agencies
Gulf Today
5 days ago
- Climate
- Gulf Today
Pakistan's deadly monsoon floods were worsened by global warming, study finds
Heavy rainfall that triggered floods in Pakistan in recent weeks, killing hundreds of people, was worsened by human-caused climate change, according to a new study. The study by World Weather Attribution, a group of international scientists who study global warming's role in extreme weather, found that rainfall from June 24 to July 23 in the South Asian nation was 10% to 15% heavier because of climate change, leading to many building collapses in urban and rural Pakistan. Pakistan's government has reported at least 300 deaths and 1,600 damaged houses due to the floods, heavy rain and other weather since June 26. Saqib Hassan, a 50-year-old businessman in northern Pakistan, said flooding on July 22 destroyed his home and 18 of his relatives' homes, along with their dairy farms. His farm animals were washed away, resulting in heavy losses - likely 100 million rupees ($360,000) - for him and his family. Businessman Saqib Hassan gestures toward debris of his family homes, which were damaged by July 22 floods, at the bank of Hunza River in Sarwarabad, a town in the northern Pakistan, Wednesday. AP Last-minute announcements from a nearby mosque were the only warning they got to evacuate their homes in the small town of Sarwarabad and get to higher ground. "We are homeless now. Our houses have been destroyed. All the government has given us is food rations worth 50,000 rupees ($177) and seven tents, where we've been living for the past two weeks,' Hassan told The Associated Press over the phone. High temperatures and intense precipitation worsened by global warming have accelerated the pace of recent extreme weather events faster than climate experts expected, said Islamabad-based climate scientist Jakob Steiner, who was not part of the WWA study. "In the last few weeks, we have been scrambling to look at the number of events, not just in Pakistan, but in the South Asian region that have baffled us," he said. Local residents carry a big bag as they walk through a flooded road during monsoon rainfall in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. AP "Many events we projected to happen in 2050 have happened in 2025, as temperatures this summer, yet again, have been far above the average,' said Steiner, a geoscientist with the University of Graz, Austria, who studies water resources and associated risks in mountain regions. Heavy monsoon rains have resulted in a series of disasters that have battered South Asia, especially the Himalayan mountains, which span across five countries, in the last few months. Overflowing glacial lakes resulted in flooding that washed away a key bridge connecting Nepal and China, along with several hydropower dams in July. Earlier this week, a village in northern India was hit by floods and landslides, killing at least four people and leaving hundreds missing. The authors of the WWA study, which was released early Thursday, said that the rainfall they analyzed in Pakistan shows that climate change is making floods more dangerous. Climate scientists have found that a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, which can make rain more intense. People ride bikes through a flooded street amid heavy rainfall in Lahore. AFP "Every tenth of a degree of warming will lead to heavier monsoon rainfall, highlighting why a rapid transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is so urgent,' said Mariam Zachariah, a researcher at the Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London and lead author of the WWA study. Even though Pakistan is responsible for less than 1% of planet-heating gases in the atmosphere, research shows that it incurs an outsized amount of damage from extreme weather. Pakistan witnessed its most devastating monsoon season in 2022, with floods that killed more than 1,700 people and caused an estimated $40 billion in damage. According to the United Nations, global funds set up to deal with loss and damages because of climate change or funds set up to adapt to climate change are falling well short of the amounts needed to help countries like Pakistan deal with climate impacts. The U.N. warns that its loss and damage fund only holds a fraction of what's needed to address yearly economic damage related to human-caused climate change. Commuters wade through a flooded street after heavy monsoon rains in Lahore. AFP Similarly, U.N. reports state that developed countries such as the United States and European nations, which are responsible for the largest chunk of planet-heating gases in the atmosphere, are providing far less than what's needed in adaptation financing. These funds could help improve housing and infrastructure in areas vulnerable to flooding. The WWA report says much of Pakistan's fast-growing urban population lives in makeshift homes, often in flood-prone areas. The collapsing of homes was the leading cause of the 300 deaths cited in the report, responsible for more than half. "Half of Pakistan's urban population lives in fragile settlements where floods collapse homes and cost lives,' said Maja Vahlberg of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, who also helped author the WWA report, in a press statement. "Building flood-resilient houses and avoiding construction in flood zones will help reduce the impacts of heavy monsoon rain." Associated Press
5 days ago
- Climate
Pakistan's deadly monsoon floods were worsened by global warming, study finds
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Heavy rainfall that triggered floods in Pakistan in recent weeks, killing hundreds of people, was worsened by human-caused climate change, according to a new study. The study by World Weather Attribution, a group of international scientists who study global warming's role in extreme weather, found that rainfall from June 24 to July 23 in the South Asian nation was 10% to 15% heavier because of climate change, leading to many building collapses in urban and rural Pakistan. Pakistan's government has reported at least 300 deaths and 1,600 damaged houses due to the floods, heavy rain and other weather since June 26. Saqib Hassan, a 50-year-old businessman in northern Pakistan, said flooding on July 22 destroyed his home and 18 of his relatives' homes, along with their dairy farms. His farm animals were washed away, resulting in heavy losses — likely 100 million rupees ($360,000) — for him and his family. Last-minute announcements from a nearby mosque were the only warning they got to evacuate their homes in the small town of Sarwarabad and get to higher ground. 'We are homeless now. Our houses have been destroyed. All the government has given us is food rations worth 50,000 rupees ($177) and seven tents, where we've been living for the past two weeks,' Hassan told The Associated Press over the phone. High temperatures and intense precipitation worsened by global warming have accelerated the pace of recent extreme weather events faster than climate experts expected, said Islamabad-based climate scientist Jakob Steiner, who was not part of the WWA study. 'In the last few weeks, we have been scrambling to look at the number of events, not just in Pakistan, but in the South Asian region that have baffled us," he said. "Many events we projected to happen in 2050 have happened in 2025, as temperatures this summer, yet again, have been far above the average,' said Steiner, a geoscientist with the University of Graz, Austria, who studies water resources and associated risks in mountain regions. Heavy monsoon rains have resulted in a series of disasters that have battered South Asia, especially the Himalayan mountains, which span across five countries, in the last few months. Overflowing glacial lakes resulted in flooding that washed away a key bridge connecting Nepal and China, along with several hydropower dams in July. Earlier this week, a village in northern India was hit by floods and landslides, killing at least four people and leaving hundreds missing. The authors of the WWA study, which was released early Thursday, said that the rainfall they analyzed in Pakistan shows that climate change is making floods more dangerous. Climate scientists have found that a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, which can make rain more intense. 'Every tenth of a degree of warming will lead to heavier monsoon rainfall, highlighting why a rapid transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is so urgent,' said Mariam Zachariah, a researcher at the Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London and lead author of the WWA study. Even though Pakistan is responsible for less than 1% of planet-heating gases in the atmosphere, research shows that it incurs an outsized amount of damage from extreme weather. Pakistan witnessed its most devastating monsoon season in 2022, with floods that killed more than 1,700 people and caused an estimated $40 billion in damage. According to the United Nations, global funds set up to deal with loss and damages because of climate change or funds set up to adapt to climate change are falling well short of the amounts needed to help countries like Pakistan deal with climate impacts. The U.N. warns that its loss and damage fund only holds a fraction of what's needed to address yearly economic damage related to human-caused climate change. Similarly, U.N. reports state that developed countries such as the United States and European nations, which are responsible for the largest chunk of planet-heating gases in the atmosphere, are providing far less than what's needed in adaptation financing. These funds could help improve housing and infrastructure in areas vulnerable to flooding. The WWA report says much of Pakistan's fast-growing urban population lives in makeshift homes, often in flood-prone areas. The collapsing of homes was the leading cause of the 300 deaths cited in the report, responsible for more than half. 'Half of Pakistan's urban population lives in fragile settlements where floods collapse homes and cost lives,' said Maja Vahlberg of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, who also helped author the WWA report, in a press statement. "Building flood-resilient houses and avoiding construction in flood zones will help reduce the impacts of heavy monsoon rain." ___ ___
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Pakistan's deadly monsoon floods were worsened by global warming, study finds
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — Heavy rainfall that triggered floods in Pakistan in recent weeks, killing hundreds of people, was worsened by human-caused climate change, according to a new study. The study by World Weather Attribution, a group of international scientists who study global warming's role in extreme weather, found that rainfall from June 24 to July 23 in the South Asian nation was 10% to 15% heavier because of climate change, leading to many building collapses in urban and rural Pakistan. Pakistan's government has reported at least 300 deaths and 1,600 damaged houses due to the floods, heavy rain and other weather since June 26. Saqib Hassan, a 50-year-old businessman in northern Pakistan, said flooding on July 22 destroyed his home and 18 of his relatives' homes, along with their dairy farms. His farm animals were washed away, resulting in heavy losses — likely 100 million rupees ($360,000) — for him and his family. Last-minute announcements from a nearby mosque were the only warning they got to evacuate their homes in the small town of Sarwarabad and get to higher ground. 'We are homeless now. Our houses have been destroyed. All the government has given us is food rations worth 50,000 rupees ($177) and seven tents, where we've been living for the past two weeks,' Hassan told The Associated Press over the phone. Heavy rains cause series of disasters High temperatures and intense precipitation worsened by global warming have accelerated the pace of recent extreme weather events faster than climate experts expected, said Islamabad-based climate scientist Jakob Steiner, who was not part of the WWA study. 'In the last few weeks, we have been scrambling to look at the number of events, not just in Pakistan, but in the South Asian region that have baffled us,' he said. 'Many events we projected to happen in 2050 have happened in 2025, as temperatures this summer, yet again, have been far above the average,' said Steiner, a geoscientist with the University of Graz, Austria, who studies water resources and associated risks in mountain regions. Heavy monsoon rains have resulted in a series of disasters that have battered South Asia, especially the Himalayan mountains, which span across five countries, in the last few months. Overflowing glacial lakes resulted in flooding that washed away a key bridge connecting Nepal and China, along with several hydropower dams in July. Earlier this week, a village in northern India was hit by floods and landslides, killing at least four people and leaving hundreds missing. The authors of the WWA study, which was released early Thursday, said that the rainfall they analyzed in Pakistan shows that climate change is making floods more dangerous. Climate scientists have found that a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, which can make rain more intense. 'Every tenth of a degree of warming will lead to heavier monsoon rainfall, highlighting why a rapid transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is so urgent,' said Mariam Zachariah, a researcher at the Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London and lead author of the WWA study. Extreme weather's impact on Pakistan Even though Pakistan is responsible for less than 1% of planet-heating gases in the atmosphere, research shows that it incurs an outsized amount of damage from extreme weather. Pakistan witnessed its most devastating monsoon season in 2022, with floods that killed more than 1,700 people and caused an estimated $40 billion in damage. According to the United Nations, global funds set up to deal with loss and damages because of climate change or funds set up to adapt to climate change are falling well short of the amounts needed to help countries like Pakistan deal with climate impacts. The U.N. warns that its loss and damage fund only holds a fraction of what's needed to address yearly economic damage related to human-caused climate change. Similarly, U.N. reports state that developed countries such as the United States and European nations, which are responsible for the largest chunk of planet-heating gases in the atmosphere, are providing far less than what's needed in adaptation financing. These funds could help improve housing and infrastructure in areas vulnerable to flooding. The WWA report says much of Pakistan's fast-growing urban population lives in makeshift homes, often in flood-prone areas. The collapsing of homes was the leading cause of the 300 deaths cited in the report, responsible for more than half. 'Half of Pakistan's urban population lives in fragile settlements where floods collapse homes and cost lives,' said Maja Vahlberg of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, who also helped author the WWA report, in a press statement. 'Building flood-resilient houses and avoiding construction in flood zones will help reduce the impacts of heavy monsoon rain.' ___ Wednesdays What's next in arts, life and pop culture. Arasu reported from Bengaluru, India. ___ Follow Sibi Arasu on X at @sibi123 ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
