The decision by the United Kingdom, France, and the United States to place a technical hold on Pakistan and China’s proposal to designate the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade under the UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee has reignited an important debate. While the objection was presented as a legal and procedural matter, the growing threat posed by the BLA raises a broader question: has the group evolved beyond a local insurgency into a terrorist organisation that deserves a stronger international response? The answer is increasingly and seriously, yes.

Over the past few years, the BLA has changed both its tactics and objectives. It no longer limits its attacks to security forces. Instead, it has deliberately targeted civilians, passenger trains, highways, energy projects, Chinese workers, and critical infrastructure. These attacks are designed to spread fear, disrupt economic activity, and discourage investment. Such tactics fit the internationally accepted characteristics of terrorism, where violence is used not only to inflict casualties but also to intimidate populations and undermine public confidence.

Perhaps the most worrying aspect of the BLA’s campaign is its focus on economic warfare. Balochistan is not merely Pakistan’s largest province; it is also a strategic gateway connecting South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and western China through Gwadar Port and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Repeated attacks on transport routes, railways, logistics networks, and development projects have transformed what should be an........

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