The counterterrorism cause in Pakistan could be a way for China and the United States to work together, observers say
US counterterrorism efforts in Pakistan could improve security in the South Asian country for Chinese workers, who have been the repeated targets of separatist groups in recent years, according to observers.
It could also open the way for China to work with the US via Pakistan on a common counterterrorism cause, they said.
On Monday, the US Department of State added “the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its alias, the Majeed Brigade”, to its list of foreign terrorist organisations.
The BLA and its suicide bomb squad, the Majeed Brigade, will face an asset freeze and restrictions on material support, with the measures taking effect upon publication in the US Federal Register.
“Today’s action taken by the Department of State demonstrates the Trump administration’s commitment to countering terrorism. Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities,” the department said.
The announcement came soon after Washington issued a joint statement with Islamabad on counterterrorism, drawing attention to prominent militant groups the BLA, Isis-Khorasan and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). All three have posed a significant threat to Chinese investment in Pakistan.
“[It] opens a window for China to cooperate with the US on counterterrorism through Pakistan,” said Abdul Basit, an associate research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.
