Overview

• The U.S., U.K., and France placed a technical hold that blocks UN 1267 listing of the BLA and its Majeed Brigade, a step that would trigger travel bans, asset freezes and an arms embargo.
• Pakistan and China jointly submitted the designation request to the 1267 Sanctions Committee.
• The hold cites insufficient evidence linking the groups to Al‑Qaida or ISIL, the standard for action under the 1267 framework.
• Washington last month designated both groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations after earlier naming the BLA a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2019.
• Pakistan’s UN envoy says the groups operate from Afghan sanctuaries and urges the Taliban authorities to meet counterterrorism commitments.