The Foreign Office confirmed in a statement on X that former Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan is safe and currently in the custody of Israeli forces. The confirmation came through diplomatic sources in a friendly European country.
Mushtaq Ahmad Khan was detained by Israeli authorities on October 2 while aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, where he was leading a five-member Pakistani delegation delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza.
“We have been further advised that, in accordance with local procedures, Ahmad will be presented before a court. Upon the issuance of deportation orders, his repatriation will be facilitated on a fast-track basis,” the Foreign Office stated.
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Statement by the Spokesperson on Media Inquiries Concerning Pakistani Nationals Aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla
⬇️https://t.co/OinMwI2Lk0 pic.twitter.com/Q9cDosiVCI
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) October 5, 2025
The ministry added that it has already initiated efforts to ensure the safe return of other Pakistani participants who had separated from the flotilla earlier.
In a post on X, JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said he had spoken to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and urged him to “accelerate efforts” for Mushtaq Ahmad Khan’s release. He added that the prime minister informed him that Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was overseeing the matter.
A short while ago, in a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, I urged him to accelerate efforts for the release and recovery of Mushtaq Ahmad Khan. The Prime Minister said that Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has been assigned this responsibility. We made it clear…
— Naeem ur Rehman (@NaeemRehmanEngr) October 3, 2025
Following the flotilla incident, thousands of people across Karachi and other cities in Sindh took to the streets on October 4 to protest the Israeli attack on the aid convoy. On Hafiz Naeem’s call, a nationwide protest day was observed on Friday, with rallies held in nearly every major town of Sindh.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, carrying food and medical supplies for Gaza, consisted of more than 40 civilian boats with around 500 participants, including parliamentarians, lawyers, and activists.
Videos shared by the flotilla’s participants on Telegram showed individuals holding their passports and asserting that they were taken to Israel against their will, emphasizing that their mission was purely humanitarian and non-violent.
The flotilla has become a prominent international symbol of resistance to Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
Its journey across the Mediterranean drew global attention, prompting Turkey, Spain, and Italy to send boats and drones to assist their nationals if necessary, even as Israel repeatedly warned the convoy to turn back.