The Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Friday announced its officials have detained Amin al-Haq, a close aide of Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, in an intelligence-based operation.
“The terrorist was apprehended during an intelligence-based operation,” DIG CTD Usman Akram Gonadal told media, adding the accused was taken into custody from Sarai Alamgir, Gujrat. He said a case had been registered against Haq. Authorities would probe how a high-profile terrorist was operating in Pakistan during investigations, he added.
“He was [last] seen in Afghanistan in 2021. He also has a Pakistani ID card, on which Lahore and Haripur’s addresses have been added,” said the CTD official, noting this would also be probed.
Linked to bin Laden since 1996, the CTD recalled that Haq was among the top fighters of Al Qaeda and was involved in several terrorist activities. It said that Haq, responsible for coordinating security for the deceased Al Qaeda chief, was designated a terrorist by the United Nations.
According to the U.N. Security Council, Haq was born in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province in 1960 and has been on its terrorist entities list since Jan. 25, 2001.
In recent weeks, Pakistan has made clear a “zero tolerance” for militancy under the Vision Azm-e-Istehkam initiative, which aims to evolve a whole-of-nation approach to eradicate terrorism from the country.