The BLA is one of the largest militant outfits demanding independence for Balochistan. It is designated as a terrorist group by Pakistan as well as the US.

The BLA gained prominence in 2004 when it launched a violent struggle against Pakistan for self-determination for the Baloch people and the separation of Balochistan from Pakistan. The Pakistan government banned the Balochistan Liberation Army and designated it as a terrorist organization on April 7, 2006.

A major security crisis unfolded in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province on Tuesday when separatist militants attacked the Jaffar Express, a