The US, UK, and France block the UN sanctions proposal against BLA: a diplomatic blow to Pakistan and China

The United Nations Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee has paused a joint initiative by Pakistan and China to designate the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and its suicide unit, the Majeed Brigade, as global terrorist organizations. The proposal aimed to impose sanctions such as asset freezes, travel bans, and arms embargoes on these groups, which Pakistan and China allege are responsible for attacks within Pakistan and operate from training camps in Afghanistan.

The decision to stall the proposal came after objections from the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. These countries raised technical concerns, requesting more substantial evidence linking the BLA and Majeed Brigade to international terrorist networks. As a result, the committee placed the initiative on hold for a minimum of six months to allow for further investigation and evidence gathering.

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN argued before the committee that the BLA and Majeed Brigade are responsible for numerous attacks inside Pakistan and are operating from alleged training camps in Afghanistan. Based on this, Islamabad and Beijing sought to have these groups added to the 1267 sanctions list, which targets entities associated with al-Qaeda, ISIL, or other designated terrorist groups. However, the effort was thwarted due to procedural issues raised by the opposition members.

The rejection marks a diplomatic setback for both Pakistan and China, which have long sought international recognition of Baloch resistance groups as terrorist organizations. Despite persistent lobbying over the years, they have failed to secure consensus at the UN, as many member states view the Baloch movement through a political and historical lens rather than solely as a security threat.

International observers suggest that the committee’s decision reflects a broader reluctance among major powers to classify the Baloch resistance as terrorism without credible, legally substantiated evidence. This cautious approach underscores the importance of adhering to established legal standards and procedural norms in the designation process, rather than succumbing to political pressure.

China’s involvement adds a layer of complexity, given its significant investments in infrastructure projects like the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and development initiatives in Gwadar. Beijing has been targeted by Baloch pro-independence attacks and had hoped UN approval would strengthen international support for measures against the resistance. The committee’s decision, however, has temporarily put those ambitions on hold.

Meanwhile, the United States has already designated both the BLA and Majeed Brigade as Foreign Terrorist Organizations under its own laws, effective August 8, 2025. However, the international system’s higher threshold for such designations at the UN level means that Pakistan and China will need to provide more concrete evidence of organizational links to global jihadist networks to succeed in future efforts.

Experts interpret this development as a shift in the international framing of the Baloch conflict, emphasizing the importance of credible evidence and legal standards over political lobbying and unverified allegations. For the Baloch movement, the outcome serves as a reminder that the global community is increasingly considering the broader political, humanitarian, and historical contexts rather than approaching the issue solely from a security perspective.