Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday that former Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) senator Muhstaq Ahmad Khan, who was detained by Israel last week after it intercepted a flotilla of boats carrying aid for Gaza, had arrived at the Pakistan embassy in Amman, Jordan and was in “good health and high spirits”.
Mushtaq led the Pakistani delegation on the 45-vessel Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), which left Spain last month to break Israel’s blockade of aid to Gaza with activists and politicians, including Greta Thunberg, on board. However, as it approached Gaza, Israeli forces intercepted it, detaining the activists on board before deporting them.
In a post in social media platform X, Dar said, “I am pleased to confirm that former Senator Mushtaq has been released and is now safely with Pakistan Embassy in Amman. He is in good health and high spirits.”
He said that the embassy stood ready to facilitate his return to Pakistan at his wish.
“[I] am pleased to extend our gratitude to all our friendly countries who actively engaged and assisted in this behalf,” he said.
On Monday, the Foreign Office (FO) had said it was making efforts for the safe return of the former senator.
“With the invaluable assistance of the Jordanian government, we are hopeful that the process can be successfully concluded within the next couple of days,” the FO had said. It had also expressed deep gratitude to the “brotherly” government of Jordan for “their exemplary cooperation and generous support”.
More to follow
