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Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
The US's recalibration of its Pakistan policy
There have been several signs of a strategic realignment between Pakistan and the US, whose relations had fallen to a low after US President Donald Trump declared seven years ago that Islamabad had given Washington 'nothing but lies and deceit' in return for billions of dollars in aid. In addition to the Pakistan army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, travelling to the US on two occasions in as many months, and even being hosted at the White House by Trump, the US has declared the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its proxy, The Majeed Brigade, as a foreign terrorist organisation. A joint statement issued after a Pakistan-US counter-terrorism dialogue in Islamabad on Tuesday had Washington lauding Islamabad's 'continued successes in containing terrorist entities that pose a threat' to the region. It would have been instructive if the US had furnished some instances of these successes, especially at a time when anti-India groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba and their proxies maintain extensive networks on Pakistani soil. India has said Munir's recent nuclear threats only reflect Pakistan's irresponsible attitude towards its nuclear arsenal and its role as a driver of instability across the region. (AP) Trump's claim that he brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May has certainly not endeared him to many in New Delhi's decision-making circles, and the latest joint statement too is unlikely to go down well, coming as it does in the wake of the nuclear brinkmanship by Munir during his latest US visit. India has said Munir's recent nuclear threats only reflect Pakistan's irresponsible attitude towards its nuclear arsenal and its role as a driver of instability across the region. Pakistan, especially in the areas bordering Afghanistan, continues to be home to all manner of terror groups that pose a clear danger to the region, and it makes little sense for the US to be seen as rewarding the Pakistani military, which has perfected the art of using terror as an instrument of State policy.
Economic Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
How Pakistan's Asim Munir crafted his America trap
Agencies Donald Trump and Asim Munir The United States recently declared the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and The Majeed Brigade as foreign terrorist organisations while Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir was in the US to attend farewell of US Central Command Commander General Michael Kurilla, who had previously termed Pakistan a "phenomenal partner" in counter-terrorism and later got a top award from Pakistan, is a significant step indicating the US is now back to being Pakistan's strategic ally. The US action on Baloch insurgents comes when the US is seeking oil and minerals in Pakistan which lie mainly in the western regions where Baloch insurgents hold sway. It appears after a hiatus when Pakistan grew closer to China, it is now back in America's lap. With deft maneuvering, Pakistan appears to have successfully flipped the script on its relationship with the US. At the heart of this masterful manipulation is Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir, whose calculated charm offensive has turned US President Donald Trump's once-hostile stance toward Pakistan back into a strategic partnership. Trump had famously slammed Pakistan during his first term as a country that gave the US 'nothing but lies and deceit,' Trump's had tweeted at that time: "The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" During his second term, Trump has often praised Pakistan while irritating India with his rough remarks. Munir has crafted his American trap with flattery, transactional diplomacy and strategic deployment of two high-stakes assets: Pakistan's mineral wealth and a seductive cryptocurrency there's one thing Pakistan's military establishment seems to have mastered, it's the psychological profile of Trump. Munir's charm offensive reportedly began in earnest in early 2025, when Pakistan played a crucial role in the arrest of an ISIS-K operative involved in the deadly 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul that killed 13 US Marines. Trump, who returned to the presidency in January 2025, publicly thanked Pakistan, marking the first major public shift in tone. Well aware that Trump is looking for wins around the world, Pakistan credited him for having prevented a possible India-Pakistan war and even nominating him for a Nobel Peace Prize. These symbolic gestures directly targeted Trump's well-known need for validation and prestige. The result of this charm offensive came in the form of an unprecedented lunch between Trump and Munir, a meeting that broke longstanding protocol and sent a clear signal that Trump felt respected by Pakistan in ways he did not feel by traditional US allies. However, Munir was not able to woo only Trump, he also pleased his son, Trump Jr. While ego stroking laid the emotional groundwork, the real bait came in the form of access to Pakistan's untapped mineral wealth, particularly in resource-rich Balochistan, home to deposits of rare earth elements, copper, lithium and even oil (Trump has said the US and Pakistan will work together on developing Pakistan's massive oil reserves even though there is little evidence of such reserves).Trump Jr. and his business associate Zach Witkoff (the son of Steve Witkoff, an American real estate investor whom Trump has made his special envoy), both of whom visited Pakistan a few months ago, returned greatly impressed, according to reports. They were reportedly shown the potential of mineral and blockchain-based investment opportunities. These included cryptocurrency infrastructure projects tied to rare earth exports — a tantalising mix for the Trump family that has often blurred the lines between politics and business. It's no secret that Trump has long viewed international diplomacy through a business lens. Pakistan played directly into this worldview by framing its cooperation as a stupendous deal -- minerals for American tech and energy needs, and crypto for financial US designation of the BLA and The Majeed Brigade as foreign terrorist organizations (is not coincidental. The move effectively delegitimises resistance to Pakistani control over Balochistan, an area crucial for its mineral prospects but rife with insurgency. Human rights concerns and separatist sentiments in Balochistan have long been a thorny issue for Western countries. But the US appears to have deprioritised these concerns in favor of strategic access to critical minerals, essential for electric vehicle batteries, semiconductors and clean energy. By backing Pakistan's crackdown on Baloch insurgents, the US stands to benefit in its larger contest with China which currently dominates global rare earth processing. At General Kurilla's farewell, Munir issued a wider nuclear threat to India, warning: "We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we'll take half the world down with us." Munir's wild comment made from US soil shows his confidence stems from his ability to turn the US away from India and back into strategic partnership with Pakistan. India, long seen as the natural US partner in South Asia, may view this pivot with deep concern. The Trump administration's sudden warmth toward Pakistan could complicate the US-India strategic relationship especially when Trump has imposed steeply 50% tariffs on India while going soft on China. The American pivot towards India and away from Pakistan had happened as it saw India as a tool to counter China. For India, the US-Pakistan bonhomie suggests that even deep strategic ties can be overshadowed by transactional politics and personality-driven diplomacy. Whether one calls it a trap or a strategic masterstroke, Munir's campaign has paid dividends. By recognising Trump's vulnerabilities -- his need for flattery, deal-making instincts and hunger for legacy -- Pakistan has repositioned itself from being a problem to being a partner. It has cleverly used the tools of modern diplomacy, from crypto to critical minerals, to recast its strategic value to the US. What remains to be seen is whether this warmth will survive for long. Trump's foreign policy is known to be volatile and India can't be removed entirely from American strategic calculus. Despite differences on trade, India-US strategic partnership is still intact. While Munir has laid a well-crafted trap for the US, which appears to be walking into it, Pakistan's inability to deliver what it has promised -- or India's ability to emphasise its value to the US -- can lead to Munir's quick fall from US favour.
Mint
5 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
US labels Balochistan Liberation Army & Majeed Brigade as terror groups: Who are they?
The United States has designated Pakistan-based Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, The Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation. The BLA was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in 2019 following several terrorist attacks. Since then, the group has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including by the Majeed Brigade, the US State Department said in a statement on Monday, 11 August. 'Today, the Department of State is designating The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, The Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), and adding the Majeed Brigade as an alias to BLA's previous Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) designation,' the US State Department statement said. The action, it said, "demonstrates Donald Trump administration's commitment to countering terrorism". "Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities," the US State Department said. Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities, the US State Department said. The department further said that in 2024, BLA claimed responsibility for suicide attacks near Karachi airport and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex. In 2025, the group said it was behind the hijacking of the Jaffar Express train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar in March, which resulted in the deaths of 31 civilians and security personnel, and over 300 passengers being taken hostage. Based in Balochistan, Pakistan, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is an armed separatist group that seeks independence for the Baloch people. For decades, the group has been aiming to achieve an independent Balochistan. The BLA was formed in response to long-standing grievances over political marginalisation, economic exploitation, and military repression by the Pakistani state, according to media reports. The separatist group that emerged in the early 2000s is considered a terrorist organisation by Pakistan and other countries in the West. The BLA is believed to be behind a number of attacks on Pakistani security forces, government infrastructure, and development projects – particularly those linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which it views as exploitative. In 2024, the BLA said that it carried out suicide attacks at the Karachi airport and at the Gwadar Port Authority Complex. In March 2025, the BLA claimed the responsibility for the hijacking of the Jaffar Express train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar, which resulted in the deaths of 31 civilians and security personnel, and over 300 passengers being taken hostage. Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities. The BLA stands out as the militant group challenging the authority of Pakistan the most, according to the BBC. The Majeed Brigade is a suicide unit of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), according to the South Asia Terrorism Portal. It has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks, such as the 2018 Karachi Chinese consulate attack and the Balochistan Gwadar hotel attack. Balochistan is a region divided between Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. The largest portion is within Pakistan, where it forms the country's largest province. In Pakistan, it's located in the southwestern region and shares a volatile border with Iran to the West and Afghanistan to the Northwest, Sindh province to the Southeast. Balochistan also has a vast coastline along the Arabian Sea to the South.
Mint
5 days ago
- Politics
- Mint
Who are Balochistan Liberation Army and Majeed Brigade? US slaps terror tag on Pakistan-based groups
The United States has designated Pakistan-based Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, The Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation. The BLA was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in 2019 following several terrorist attacks. Since then, the group has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including by the Majeed Brigade, the US State Department said in a statement on Monday, 11 August. 'Today, the Department of State is designating The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, The Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), and adding the Majeed Brigade as an alias to BLA's previous Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) designation,' the US State Department statement said. The action, it said, "demonstrates Donald Trump administration's commitment to countering terrorism". "Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities," the US State Department said. Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities, the US State Department said. The department further said that in 2024, BLA claimed responsibility for suicide attacks near Karachi airport and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex. In 2025, the group said it was behind the hijacking of the Jaffar Express train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar in March, which resulted in the deaths of 31 civilians and security personnel, and over 300 passengers being taken hostage. Based in Balochistan, Pakistan, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is an armed separatist group that seeks independence for the Baloch people. For decades, the group has been aiming to achieve an independent Balochistan. The BLA was formed in response to long-standing grievances over political marginalisation, economic exploitation, and military repression by the Pakistani state, according to media reports. The separatist group that emerged in the early 2000s is considered a terrorist organisation by Pakistan and other countries in the West. The BLA is believed to be behind a number of attacks on Pakistani security forces, government infrastructure, and development projects – particularly those linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which it views as exploitative. In 2024, the BLA said that it carried out suicide attacks at the Karachi airport and at the Gwadar Port Authority Complex. In March 2025, the BLA claimed the responsibility for the hijacking of the Jaffar Express train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar, which resulted in the deaths of 31 civilians and security personnel, and over 300 passengers being taken hostage. Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities. The BLA stands out as the militant group challenging the authority of Pakistan the most, according to the BBC. The Majeed Brigade is a suicide unit of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), according to the South Asia Terrorism Portal. It has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks, such as the 2018 Karachi Chinese consulate attack and the Balochistan Gwadar hotel attack. Balochistan is a region divided between Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. The largest portion is within Pakistan, where it forms the country's largest province. In Pakistan, it's located in the southwestern region and shares a volatile border with Iran to the West and Afghanistan to the Northwest, Sindh province to the Southeast. Balochistan also has a vast coastline along the Arabian Sea to the South. Quetta, the capital and largest city of Balochistan, Pakistan, is located in the southwestern part of the country. With a population exceeding 1.5 million in 2024, it ranks as the tenth largest city in Pakistan.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
US designates BLA, Majeed Brigade as Foreign Terrorist Organisation
New York/Washington, The US on Monday designated Pakistan-based Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, The Majeed Brigade , as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation . BLA was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in 2019 following several terrorist attacks . Since then, the group has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including by the Majeed Brigade, the State Department said in a statement. Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program The statement said the State Department is designating BLA and its alias, The Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), and adding the Majeed Brigade as an alias to BLA's previous SDGT designation. The action, it said, "demonstrates the Trump administration 's commitment to countering terrorism". "Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities," the State Department said. Live Events The department further said that in 2024, BLA claimed responsibility for suicide attacks near Karachi airport and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex. In 2025, the group said it was behind the hijacking of the Jaffar Express train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar in March, which resulted in the deaths of 31 civilians and security personnel, and over 300 passengers being taken hostage.
