Mushtaq Ahmad Khan to Return Home on October 9

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar stated on Tuesday that former senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, who arrived in Jordan following his release by Israeli forces after the Global Sumud Flotilla was stopped, will be back in the country on October 9.

Ahmad, a prominent figure within Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), was among those taken into custody earlier in the month when Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, which was transporting humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

The flotilla, comprising 45 ships with activists and political figures, had set sail from Spain the previous month with the goal of ending Israel’s blockade of Gaza, where the United Nations has warned about a potential famine.

In a post on X, Dar communicated that upon reaching Islamabad from Malaysia, he had spoken with the ex-senator via Pakistan’s ambassador in Amman.

“Senator Mushtaq is in good health and high spirits. I commended Senator Mushtaq’s courage and commitment for participating in the Sumud Flotilla to advocate for the Palestinian cause and to break the blockade to provide humanitarian relief to the people of Gaza.”

Mushtaq “expressed his gratitude for the efforts of the Pakistan Foreign Office in contacting him in Tel Aviv, Israel, through a friendly European Country’s mission and for the complete support and assistance for his safety in Amman by [the] Pakistan Embassy,” Dar added.

The former senator has recounted the difficult treatment he experienced while in Israeli custody after his apprehension on the Gaza aid flotilla, which was intercepted by Israeli forces the previous week.

In a video message released after his release, Ahmad stated that he was held at Ketziot Prison, also known as Ansar III, a high-security facility located in Israel’s Negev desert.

“I was subjected to mistreatment. My eyes were covered, and weapons were pointed at us,” he stated. “I started a hunger strike, and Israeli forces denied access to fresh air, drinking water, and medication,” the former senator recounted.

The former senator, currently in Jordan under the care of the Pakistan Embassy in Amman, mentioned that he would soon be returning to Pakistan to provide further details about his time in detention. “We will continue our efforts for the liberation of Palestine,” he added.