ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) said on Monday that the government was making diplomatic efforts for the safe evacuation of former Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, who was detained by Israeli forces last week after they intercepted a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid for Gaza.
Mushtaq was leading the Pakistani delegation on the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) — a 45-vessel convoy that set sail from Spain last month to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza. The flotilla, which included activists and politicians such as Greta Thunberg, was intercepted as it neared Gaza’s waters, and those on board were detained.
In a statement, the FO said Pakistan’s embassy in Amman was working “tirelessly” to ensure Mushtaq’s safe release and repatriation.
“With the invaluable assistance of the Jordanian government, we are hopeful that the process can be successfully concluded within the next couple of days,” it said, expressing gratitude to Jordan for its “exemplary cooperation and generous support.”
Pakistan, along with several other countries, had earlier condemned Israel’s “dastardly attack” on the flotilla. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also called for the immediate release of all those detained, praising the “dignified participation” of Pakistani activists, including Mushtaq, in the humanitarian mission.
“The government of Pakistan strongly demands the return of its citizens, praying and striving for their safety, dignity, and earliest possible return to the homeland,” the prime minister said in a post on X.
He also told JI chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman in a phone call that Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had been tasked with coordinating efforts for Mushtaq’s release with friendly countries and international organisations.
A day earlier, the FO had confirmed through diplomatic channels of a European country that Mushtaq was “safe and in good health” in Israeli custody and would be presented before a court in accordance with local legal procedures. “Upon the issuance of deportation orders, his repatriation will be facilitated on a fast-track basis,” it added.
Prominent lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir noted on X that other flotilla participants detained during the Israeli raid were receiving a hero’s welcome upon returning home, expressing hope that Mushtaq would soon receive the same.
Israel has a record of blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza. In June, its forces intercepted the Madleen, another aid vessel carrying activists and journalists attempting to deliver relief supplies to Palestinians under blockade.
