Islamabad (TDI): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday confirmed that former senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan will return to Pakistan on Thursday, days after being released by Israeli authorities following the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
Ahmad, a senior leader of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), was among dozens detained earlier this month when Israeli forces stopped the flotilla, a convoy of 45 ships carrying humanitarian supplies and activists that had set sail from Spain in an attempt to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza. The United Nations has repeatedly warned of an impending famine in the besieged territory.
In a post on X, Dar said he had spoken to the ex-senator via phone through Pakistan’s ambassador in Amman, Jordan, shortly after returning to Islamabad from Malaysia.
“Senator Mushtaq is fine and in good spirits,” Dar wrote. “I commended his courage and steadfastness in joining the Global Sumud Flotilla to support the Palestinian cause and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
Read More: Ex-Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Freed from Israeli Custody: Dar
Dar added that Ahmad had expressed gratitude for the efforts made by the Foreign Office, which coordinated through a European diplomatic mission in Tel Aviv, and for the support and facilitation provided by Pakistan’s embassy in Amman during his stay.
After his release, the former senator detailed the harsh conditions he endured while being held at Ketziot Prison (Ansar III), a high-security facility in Israel’s Negev Desert.
Read More: Pakistan, Jordan Coordinating to Evacuate Ex-Senator Mushtaq from Israeli Detention
In a video message, Ahmad said he and other detainees faced torture and intimidation. “My eyes were blindfolded, guns were pointed at us. I went on a hunger strike,” he recounted. “We had no access to clean air, water, or medical care.”
Now under the care of the Pakistan Embassy in Amman, Ahmad said he plans to share more about his ordeal once he returns home. “We will continue our struggle for the freedom of Palestine,” he vowed.
