The Punjab Counter Terrorist Department (CTD) reported that they arrested Aminul Haq, terrorist and right-hand man to Osama Bin Ladin, in Pakistan on Friday, according to local media.

Usman Gondal, the deputy inspector general for the CTD, addressed an audience in Lahore discussing the matter. Gondal said that Aminul Haq was arrested in Sarai Alamgir town of Gujrat district. He was found using a fake identity as he allegedly worked on a large-scale terrorist project. Allegedly, Aminul Haq was working on sabotaging key installations in Pakistan. The CTD was working with Pakistan secret agencies to uncover him.

Aminul Haq worked closely with the leader of Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, who planned the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers on 9/11. Aminul Haq was sanctioned by the UN for “supplying, selling or transferring arms and related materiel” to Al-Qaida and Taliban groups, according to Gondal.

Despite the recent arrest, Pakistan still witnesses significant terrorist activity. The Center for Research and Security Studies published in their annual security report that in 2023, “Pakistan witnessed 1533 violence-linked fatalities and 1462 injuries from as many as 789
incidents of terror attacks and counter-terror operations.” Over 1000 of those killed were “civilians and security forces personnel.” The 2023 terrorist fatalities in Pakistan reportedly marked a “6-year high.” The report read:

The year 2023 recorded an alarming spike in violence by about 56% – an unprecedented escalation in the last ten years, with the overall number of fatalities jumping from three-digits (980) in 2022 to four (1533) in 2023. This includes a staggering 63% uptick recorded in Balochistan and 54% in [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]. Punjab saw an 89% rise in violence though the number of fatalities was very low, followed by Sindh where the fatalities increased by 28%.

Due to the increased terrorism, last month the government of Pakistan approved a nationwide counter-terrorism operation to tackle individual terrorists and extremist groups. This is known as Operation Azm-i-Istehkam, which the Prime Minister of Pakistan described as a “reinvigorated and re-energized national counter-terrorism campaign” that will integrate and synergize multiple lines of effort to combat the menaces of extremism and terrorism in a comprehensive and decisive manner.”