Pakistan, China Humiliated At UN As Proposal To Ban Balochistan Liberation Army Gets Blocked

New York: Pakistan and China have suffered a major diplomatic setback at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). The US, France, and Britain have blocked a joint proposal by Pakistan and China to designate the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its faction, the Majeed Brigade, as terrorist organizations under UN sanctions. This move comes despite the fact that the US has already listed these organizations as terrorist entities under its own domestic laws.

What is the issue?

Pakistan and China had submitted a proposal last September to ban the BLA and the Majeed Brigade under the UN Security Council's 1267 'Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee'. This month, three permanent members of the Security Council—who hold veto power (the US, France, and Britain)—blocked the proposal.

This is being viewed as a significant blow to the efforts of Islamabad and Beijing to impose international sanctions on the BLA and the Majeed Brigade.

According to the news agency PTI, this development comes at a time when China itself has previously blocked several proposals by India and the US to blacklist Pakistan-based terrorists.

What about terrorist network operating from Afghan bases? 

Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Aasim Iftikhar Ahmad, had urged the Security Council to take swift action on this matter. Ahmad informed the Council that terrorist organizations such as ISIL-K, Al-Qaeda, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, the BLA, and the Majeed Brigade are operating from bases in Afghanistan. He claimed that there are over 60 terrorist camps in Afghanistan serving as hubs for cross-border infiltration and attacks.

It is worth noting that Pakistan is a non-permanent member of the 15-member Security Council for the 2025-26 term. Additionally, Pakistan has served as the Chair of the Security Council's '1988 Taliban Sanctions Committee' and as the Vice-Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Committee in 2025.

Has the US has already imposed a ban? 

Although the US blocked this resolution at the UN, it has independently designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, the Majeed Brigade, as 'Foreign Terrorist Organizations.'

The US State Department added the Majeed Brigade as an alias to the BLA's 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist' (SDGT) designation. Regarding this move taken during the Trump administration, the State Department stated that it demonstrated America's commitment to combating terrorism. The US had placed the BLA on the SDGT list in 2019 following a series of terror attacks.

According to the US State Department, the BLA and the Majeed Brigade have carried out several major terror attacks since 2019. In 2024, the BLA claimed responsibility for suicide attacks near Karachi Airport and at the Gwadar Port Authority complex.

In 2025, the organization also claimed responsibility for hijacking the Jaffar Express train, which was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar. In this horrific incident, 31 civilians and security personnel were killed, while over 300 passengers were taken hostage.