New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): Intellectual Property Rights attorney and author Navroop Singh has alleged that the United States is positioning itself to exert strategic control over Balochistan, a mineral-rich province of Pakistan that has reportedly been on Washington’s radar since the 1980s. Singh suggested that such a move could trigger a complex regional power struggle involving both India and China.
His comments came in the wake of the U.S. State Department’s recent decision to designate the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its armed wing, The Majeed Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO). The BLA had already been labeled a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity in 2019.
According to Singh, Washington’s strategy may include reviving the long-delayed Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline while simultaneously undermining the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which he claimed is “no longer functional.” He further alleged that recent attacks targeting Chinese engineers and Pakistan’s Jaffar Express train could be linked to efforts aimed at destabilizing the region.
Singh contended that the ultimate goal might be to tie India down in a prolonged ground conflict while dragging China into the confrontation, creating conditions for the U.S. to gain diplomatic leverage over New Delhi. However, he said, this plan faltered when India carried out targeted strikes on Pakistani airbases in response to earlier provocations.
In its official statement, the U.S. State Department said the BLA and its alias have been involved in multiple high-profile attacks, including a suicide bombing near Karachi airport and an armed assault on the Gwadar Port Authority Complex in 2024.
The department also cited the March 2025 hijacking of the Jaffar Express, which was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar. The incident left 31 people dead and over 300 passengers taken hostage.
Washington maintains that the terrorist designation is part of its broader commitment to countering global terrorism and restricting militant groups’ ability to secure funding and resources.
