Australia slaps sanctions on BLA

CANBERRA: Australia is slapping sanctions on violent ethnic militant group called Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) in Pakistan for devastating suicide bombings which have killed hundreds of civilians in the country, reported Australian media on Friday. Under the newly announced counter-terrorism financing sanctions, it is a criminal offence to use or deal with the assets of a listed person or entity, or to make assets available to them. Penalties for a breach of an Australian sanctions law include heavy fines and up to 10 years’ imprisonment. “The Balochistan Liberation Army is a group that has conducted violent terror attacks across Pakistan. These appalling attacks have targeted civilians, critical infrastructure, and foreign nationals, as well as the Pakistani state, ” according to a statement from Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong. “The Australian government’s commitment to countering terrorism and violent extremism is unwavering. These sanctions help cut off financial support of terrorists, making it harder for them to fund operations, recruit and spread their harmful ideology. We remain committed to working with our international partners to confront and dismantle the networks that fuel threats to our security, the Foreign Minister remarked. “Australia’s counter-terrorism sanctions are targeted, proportionate and designed to uphold international peace and security. The Australian government has announced that it has imposed a ban on the BLA under the United Nations’ Security Council framework, ” she said in a statement. Individuals included on a consolidated list of sanctions presented by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade include Bashir Zaib, Hammal Rehan, and Jeeyand Baloch.

Read full story on Business Recorder