Pakistan counterterrorism police have successfully apprehended an al-Qaida leader who served as a close aide to Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the infamous Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. The arrest of Amin ul Haq was carried out by the Counter-Terrorism Department in Punjab province after an extensive search spanning several years. Deputy inspector general of police Usman Gondal confirmed the arrest during a press conference in Lahore, highlighting that the operation thwarted potential attacks being planned by Haq within the province.
Haq, whose name appears on a U.N. sanctions list of individuals associated with al-Qaida, is of Afghan origin and was implicated in activities such as financing the terrorist organization and supplying arms to insurgents. The arrest took place in a town near Jhelum city, although the exact date of the operation remains unspecified.
Following the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, Pakistan cooperated with the United States by apprehending and extraditing several high-ranking al-Qaida figures, including bin Laden's deputies Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, Ramzi Binalshibh, and Abu Zubaydah. This collaboration with the U.S. has provoked the ire of militants, leading to subsequent attacks on security forces and civilians within Pakistan.
The recent surge in violence in Pakistan has been attributed to the power shift in neighboring Afghanistan, where the Afghan Taliban assumed control in 2021. The majority of these attacks have been attributed to the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, a distinct group that aligns itself with the Afghan Taliban.
Incidents of violence continue to plague the region, with a roadside bombing in South Waziristan claiming two lives. Additionally, a suicide bombing in Bannu resulted in the deaths of eight soldiers, with ten insurgents being neutralized by security forces post-attack. In a bid for peace, thousands of residents in Bannu participated in a rally carrying white flags as a symbol of peace. Tragically, the rally was marred by unidentified gunmen who opened fire, resulting in the loss of three lives and injuries to two dozen others. Authorities are actively working to identify the perpetrators and restore calm in the region.
