Failed-Marshall Munir recites his “big beautiful” poem. And as a token of appreciation, Uncle Sam slaps the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) with a shiny new “Foreign Terrorist Organization” badge on August 11, 2025. On the Baloch Independence Day, no less, as Munir probably sniffed his choice of white, with Pentagon suits. Is that a coincidence? A diplomatic pat on the back of Munir’s lapdog routine? No sir. This is more a calculated move on the Grand Chessboard to stir the pot, and I am not talking about Munir’s powder-pot.
The BLA, a scrappy nationalist outfit fighting for Baloch autonomy in Pakistan, is now a terrorist bogeyman. Why, you wonder? Well, what if I told you that behind the headlines, there could be a bigger plan: to nudge these rebels into a corner, push them across the border, and maybe, just maybe, help morph them into a Sunni jihadist wrecking ball to splinter Iran. Methinks, this geopolitical sleaze show is about to get irreverently messy in South Asia.
Forcing Transnationalism, like always
I mean, look at the BLA. These folks are nationalists, not wannabe caliphs like the ISIS or the Al Qaeda thugs. They have been blowing up Pakistani army posts and CPEC projects for years, crying foul over Pakistan’s deliberate genocide of the Baloch population and the stealing of Balochistan’s resources. Their beef is local: they want out of Pakistan’s chokehold. They are not looking for a global holy war. But you have Uncle there, branding them terrorists right when Munir is in town with his circus act, and a U.S.-Pakistan oil deal for Balochistan is cooking.
Smells like a greasy incentive, doesn’t it? Hand Pakistan a blank cheque — dollars, drones, and other new toys. To use them to crush the BLA. Munir gets a chance to bark AND bite and Uncle nods approvingly. And that is just one end of the story.
Smashing the BLA at home almost inevitably scatters them. So, where do they run? Helmand, Afghanistan, and… yes, Sistan-Balochestan in Iran, where their cousins are already giving Tehran headaches. Groups like Jaish al Adl (rumoured to be backed by the CIA), or the Jundullah — Sunni gangs with a knack for poking Tehran are already sitting there nice and cosy. If the BLA, desperate and battered, warm up to these guys, things would definitely get spicier.
Picture this: a nationalist movement, cornered and broke, trading its secular Baloch pride for a jihadist makeover to survive. It is not a stretch. Starve a group of options, and they’ll eat whatever is on the table. And the Balochis are Sunni, guerillas, and radicals already. All they need, as the Joker said, is a “push”.
Balkanizing Iran is one idea
Why would Uncle Sam want this? It would, if the target here is Iran. And in that game, the BLA, like Munir, becomes a pawn. The U.S. has a long history of weaponizing Sunni terrorists to bleed rivals — think Afghan mujahideen, Chechen “freedom fighters”, Balkan “separatists”, the “Good Taliban”, Libya and Syria’s alphabet soup of “moderate” militias… it is a long list, isn’t it? Under that light, designating the BLA as terrorists doesn’t remain just about Pakistan, but it becomes about setting the stage for chaos next door.
A transnational, jihadist Baloch network, hopping between Pakistan and Iran, is pure gold for Washington! It is a low-cost, deniable way to destabilize Iran, a country that has been a thorn in America’s side since the Shah got the boot. Balkanize Iran? Why not? A fractured Iran means less hassle for U.S. allies in the Middle East, a weaker rival for control over the Middle East’s oil-soaked chessboard, and a serious injury to China’s oil and gas ambitions.
The BLA’s designation could push them into the Iranian separatism domain — a tinderbox with sectarian and ethnic divide that’s catnip for troublemakers. If the BLA links up with groups like Jaish al-Adl, they might have to ditch their “Balochistan for Balochis” mantra for something broader and more jihad-y to secure guns, money, or a hideout.
That is exactly where Uncle Sam’s sleight of hand would come in. A localized nationalist group is a nuisance; a border-hopping, Sunni-terrorist network is a strategic asset. And if the BLA starts playing ball — say, by targeting Iranian assets — the U.S. can always “reconsider” that terrorist label. Afterall, what’s a designation, that cannot get reversed when the right buttons are pushed?
Just ask MEK, or HTS. Jolani would perhaps even sponsor you an all-expense-paid trip to Syria just so he can describe this process. This is a signature American power-poker: support Pakistan to counter China; weaken the BLA to help Pakistan. And maybe, just maybe, let the fallout bleed Iran dry.
Of course, this could backfire spectacularly. If the BLA do not take the jihadist bait, they might just double down on their nationalist roots, making Pakistan’s life hell with or without U.S. cash. Plus, Iran is not stupid; they won’t hesitate to hit back, as their 2024 tit-for-tat strikes with Pakistan showed. But realistically, that looks far fetched right now.
Uncle Sam’s Leverages
Even then, what does the score here look like? Uncle Sam is playing a poker game using the BLA’s “terrorist” tag to tighten the screws on multiple fronts. It is a win for Pakistan’s military, a jab at China’s CPEC, and a potential dagger aimed at Iran’s underbelly. The BLA, caught in the crosshairs, might cling to their nationalist roots or get seduced by the dark side of transnational jihad.
Either way, they are pawns in a game where Baloch freedom has suddenly become collateral damage. Uncle Sam doesn’t care about Balochi dreams; as long as it can keep Pakistan under its influence. Yes, if the BLA ever dances to Washington’s tune, that terrorist label will vanish faster than a politician’s promises. The same dancing puppets could then be used to keep Pakistan Army in check in its own house.
Welcome to the Greater Game: same old empire, newer and newer pawns.
