Top Al-Qaeda leader arrested from Pakistan's Punjab province

Gujrat (Pakistan), July 19 (IANS) In a major operation, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Pakistan's Punjab province has arrested a top leader of the banned Al-Qaeda outfit from Gujrat city.

The arrest of Amin ul Haq, a senior Al-Qaeda leader who was close to Osama Bin Laden, was made as security forces intensified their ongoing offensive against operatives of proscribed organisations, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the al-Qaeda.

As per available details, the Intelligence-Based Operation (IBO) was conducted under the umbrella of Pakistan's newly-launched military operation 'Azm-e-Istehkam'.

Haq hails from Afghanistan and was living in Pakistan under fake documents.

"The arrest of Amin ul Haq, whose name is listed as a global terrorist, is very significant. He was an important part of Al-Qaeda and played an important role in the re-organisation of the banned terror outfit," said CTD DIG Usman Gondal.

Haq was close to deceased Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden since 1996 and was also responsible for the security of the Al-Qaeda chief who was killed by the US forces in Pakistan's Abbottabad in 2011.

Considered as one of the top fighters of the extremist group who was involved in several terror activities, Haq was designated as a global terrorist in January 2001.

He also visited Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO forces.

Sharing more details, Gondal revealed that Haq was living in Pakistan under a forged identity. The CTD officials said that, at the time of his arrest, a fake National Identity Card (NIC) of Pakistan was found which had a listed address of Lahore in Punjab and Haripur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

Pakistan has recently launched Operation Azm-e-Istehkam Pakistan against terror groups and designated proscribed individuals to root out terror footprints in the country. The latest arrest marks a significant turn in the ongoing efforts against terrorism and highlights the new strategy of coordinated intelligence-based operations with all relevant law enforcement agencies.

Pakistan has also been raising serious concerns over the support terror groups like the TTP and its affiliated groups, along with their parent organization Al-Qaeda, are getting from the Afghan Taliban.

The recent surge in wave of terror attacks by the TTP and its affiliate groups, including the recent attack on Bannu cantonment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, prompted Islamabad to summon and issue a serious demarche to the Afghan diplomat, demanding immediate action by the Afghan Taliban against all groups enjoying free space on Afghan soil and operating to spread unrest and terror in Pakistan.

Pakistan has rejected Afghan Taliban's suggestion to negotiate a peace deal with the TTP and has indicated to even launch counter-terrorism operation into Afghanistan if the Afghan Taliban continues to facilitate, support, harbour and fund anti-Pakistan terror groups.

--IANS

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