Hafiz Saeed arrested days before Pak PM Imran Khan's visit to US to revive sour ties between the two countries

In an attempt of a crackdown on terror, the Pakistan authorities apprehended 26/11 mastermind and Jama'at-ud-Da'wah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, however raising conjecture considering the arrest comes days ahead of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Washington with the motive to refresh ties.

Khan will be visiting the United States on July 20 for the first time after taking charge as the premier of Pakistan. The Pakistan Prime Minister through his visit is hoping to revive the relations between the two countries that have been deteriorating since his got elected for office. 

Apart from Pakistan's intimacy with terror, their closeness with China has also been a crucial cause of the US-Pakistan strained ties. 

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In the past, US President Donald Trump has sternly and publicly called out Pakistan's hand in terror funding rather than terror fighting, on multiple occasions. Back in November, Trump engaging in a twitter brawl with Khan over Pakistan giving shelter to former Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. He proclaimed how the United States refuses to pay billions to India’s neighbour as there is nothing in return. Claiming Pakistan to be one of those countries who gave nothing in return, even cited Osama bin Laden and Afghanistan as an example.

Counterterrorism official Mohammad Shafiq said that the US-designated terrorist was taken into custody in Punjab province on Wednesday while he was traveling from the eastern city of Lahore to the city of Gujranwala within the country. He said Saeed appeared before a judge and was ordered held in jail until the next hearing.

Earlier this month, debt-ridden Pakistan authorities had launched a crackdown on Hafiz Saeed, who reportedly has been living at his Jauhar Town residence in Lahore, and other terrorists owing to the increasing international pressures to act against terrorist groups. Pakistan's Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (PCTD) had registered over 20 cases against Hafiz Saeed and his 12 aides on the charges of "terror financing" in different cities of Punjab province.

Pakistan banned Saeed’s charities earlier this year and has previously detained him, along with several close aides. However, he has not been charged or put on trial so far, despite India providing categorically handing over a dossier to Pakistan over Saeed's role in the terror attacks of Mumbai on August 21, 2009.

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The US Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the US, since 2012, has offered a USD 10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice.

Pakistan came under the scanner of the Financial Action Task Force, a money laundering and terror finance watchdog, which kept the country under the 'grey list' for failing to take action against terror activities on their soil.

(With AP)