Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office on Monday expressed hope that former senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, detained by Israel last week, would be repatriated &ldquo;within the next couple of days.&rdquo; The former Senator was taken into custody after Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla of boats carrying aid for Gaza. He had led Pakistan&rsquo;s delegation in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), a 45-vessel convoy that set sail from Spain last month with activists and politicians &mdash; including Greta Thunberg &mdash; on board. The flotilla aimed to break Israel&rsquo;s blockade of Gaza, where the United Nations has warned of famine. &ldquo;The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, through its embassy in Amman, is working tirelessly to secure the safe evacuation of former senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan,&rdquo; the FO said in a statement. <div class="fr-embed responsive-video"><div class="video-wrapper aspect-video"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1975095906069303412&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=e2b5995ff0af9d6e604688cf4e394311f26a77d5&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="width: 550px; height: 321px; min-height: 0px; position: static; visibility: visible;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div> &ldquo;With the invaluable assistance of the Jordanian government, we are hopeful that the process can be successfully concluded within the next couple of days.&rdquo; The FO also expressed &ldquo;deep gratitude&rdquo; to the &ldquo;brotherly government of Jordan&rdquo; for its &ldquo;exemplary cooperation and generous support.&rdquo;</div></div> On Sunday, the ministry said Khan would be presented before a court in Israel under local legal procedures, and that his return to Pakistan would be expedited once deportation orders are issued. The government said it had earlier coordinated the return of other citizens who disembarked from the flotilla, thanking friendly nations for their support. &ldquo;The Government of Pakistan remains committed to the protection of all its citizens abroad and anticipates the completion of this repatriation process within the coming days,&rdquo; the FO said.

Foreign Affairs

Says the government, through its embassy in Amman, is working tirelessly to secure the safe evacuation of the former senator.

Pakistan hopeful of Senator Mushtaq’s return in ‘next couple of days’

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said on Sunday that Pakistan is actively pursuing the safe and prompt repatriation of its citizens detained by Israeli forces during their participation in the Global Sumud Flotilla.&nbsp;In an official statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has established contact with international partners to ensure the safety of the detained individuals. Among them is former Senator Mushtaq Ahmad, who is confirmed to be in Israeli custody, safe and in good health. <div class="fr-embed responsive-video"><div class="video-wrapper aspect-video"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1974708517182574727&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=9df509bd4df11b0a8f034903ca88199449e229e4&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 925px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1974708517182574727"></iframe></div></div></div>&nbsp;The ministry noted that Ahmad will be presented before a court under local legal procedures. His return to Pakistan is expected to be expedited once deportation orders are issued.&nbsp;Earlier, the government had successfully coordinated the return of other citizens who disembarked from the flotilla. It expressed gratitude to friendly nations that supported these efforts.&nbsp;&quot;The Government of Pakistan remains committed to the protection of all its citizens abroad and anticipates the completion of this repatriation process within the coming days,&quot; the statement said.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has established contact with international partners to ensure the safety of the detained individuals.

Pakistan engaged in repatriation efforts for citizens detained by Israel: FO

ROME: More than 2 million people across Italy rallied in over 100 cities Friday for a one-day general strike to support the residents of Gaza and a humanitarian aid mission, Italy&rsquo;s largest union said.&nbsp;Italian unions proclaimed the strike after the Global Sumud Flotilla that was trying to break Israel&rsquo;s naval blockade to deliver aid to Gaza was intercepted by Israeli naval forces on Wednesday night. Protests and demonstrations have sprung up all over Europe and globally since then, but they have been particularly strong in Italy.&nbsp;Italy&rsquo;s conservative Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had sharply criticized the strike. She anticipated it would cause widespread disruption across the country and said it was politically motivated and targeted her right-wing government.&nbsp;According to the CGIL union, 300,000 people marched through the streets of Rome alone, while the national average participation in the general strike stood at around 60%, halting all the main services in key sectors, including transportation and schools.&nbsp;<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/b46b9a17-2f63-4d56-b07e-e8eb9f9eece4.jpg" style="width: 1000px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> In Florence, protesters approached the gates of the Italian national soccer team&rsquo;s training center to demand its upcoming World Cup qualifier against Israel not be played because of the war in Gaza.&nbsp;Italy is scheduled to host Israel in Udine on Oct. 14. But UEFA is considering suspending Israel over the war. The players were not at the Coverciano training center in Florence, but the squad will convene there on Monday.&nbsp;Protesters appeared to behave peacefully on the opposite side of the street from the soccer complex, holding aloft a banner that read in Italian, &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s stop Zionism with the resistance.&rdquo; <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/6c054fec-d218-4378-8af2-a406394ed4ac.jpg" style="width: 1000px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> On Friday morning, around 100,000 people participated in a rally in the northern city of Milan. Clashes there briefly erupted after a group of protesters blocking the city&rsquo;s highway started throwing bottles at police, who responded with smoke bombs.&nbsp;Isolated scuffles also happened in Turin, Bologna and Naples, but the majority of the protests were peaceful.&nbsp;&ldquo;I still believe that all this brings no benefit to the Palestinian people. On the other hand, I understand that it will cause a lot of problems for the Italian people,&quot; Meloni told reporters Thursday, condemning the strike. &ldquo;Revolutions and long weekends don&rsquo;t go well together.&rdquo;&nbsp;The Italian leader has been facing mounting pressure to change Italy&rsquo;s stance as a longtime supporter of Israel in the Gaza conflict, as growing calls have emerged to stop the massive humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.

Pro Palestine protests in Italy, Gaza protests in Italy, Global Sumud Flotilla

Europe

Italian unions proclaim the strike after the Global Sumud Flotilla that was trying to break Israel’s naval blockade to deliver aid to Gaza was intercepted by Israeli naval forces on Wednesday night.

2 million rally in Italy for Gaza as general strike halts key services

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that Pakistanis detained by Israeli forces from the Global Samood flotilla, including former Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, will be repatriated &ldquo;very soon.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to a statement from the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office, Sharif held a telephone conversation with Pakistan religio-political party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman to discuss the situation in the Middle East, the ceasefire efforts in Palestine, and developments in Kashmir.&nbsp;Sharif reiterated Pakistan&rsquo;s longstanding position on the Palestinian cause, emphasizing the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to &ldquo;the ongoing massacre of Palestinians.&rdquo; He stressed that Pakistan has consistently defended the rights of &ldquo;its Palestinian brothers and sisters&rdquo; at every international forum and would continue to do so.&nbsp;The prime minister reaffirmed Islamabad&rsquo;s support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. He noted that eight Islamic countries were actively working toward securing a ceasefire, expressing optimism that these efforts would soon bear fruit.&nbsp;On the detention of activists, Sharif said the government was in close contact with friendly countries and international organizations to ensure the safe return of Pakistani citizens. Israel does not have diplomatic relations with Pakistan.&nbsp;Israeli naval forces intercepted the 45-vessel flotilla last week, detaining more than 450 activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. The ships, which had departed Spain in late August, were carrying humanitarian aid in a bid to challenge Israel&rsquo;s blockade of Gaza. Detainees were taken to Ashdod port for deportation proceedings, prompting condemnation from Amnesty International and protests in several countries.&nbsp;Turkey, Spain, Colombia, and South Africa have joined Pakistan in demanding the activists&rsquo; immediate release.&nbsp;Sharif and Rehman also discussed the situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir, with the prime minister reiterating Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to supporting peace and the rights of Kashmiris.

Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif vowed swift repatriation of citizens detained in Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, reaffirmed support for Palestine and Kashmir, and stressed Islamabad’s commitment to a ceasefire and Palestinian statehood during talks with JI chief.

Pakistanis held in Gaza flotilla to return soon: PM Sharif

Ummer Faizan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani religio-political party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Thursday called on the government to ensure the safe and swift return of its former senator, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, who was detained by Israeli naval forces during the interception of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla. Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, JI President Hafiz Naeemur Rehman described the flotilla as a &ldquo;noble humanitarian mission,&rdquo; noting that politicians, actors, and human rights activists were among those on board. &ldquo;This is Israel&rsquo;s terrorism,&rdquo; JI Information Secretary Shakeel Turabi told Pakistan TV Digital, quoting Rehman as saying, while expressing hope for the &ldquo;safe and healthy return&rdquo; of the detained activists. Rehman further urged the Pakistani government &ldquo;not to take any decision in haste&rdquo; and instead push for a &ldquo;one-state solution, not two,&rdquo; in line with the vision of the country&rsquo;s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The 45-vessel flotilla, carrying more than 450 international activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, departed Spain last month in a bid to break Israel&rsquo;s blockade of Gaza, where the UN has warned of famine. Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office noted that it is coordinating with allied nations to secure the release of its citizens. Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan condemned the interception as &ldquo;a grave violation of international law&rdquo; and underscored that &ldquo;the safety and well-being of Pakistani citizens aboard the flotilla are of paramount importance.&rdquo; Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also denounced the &ldquo;dastardly attack&rdquo; and praised Pakistanis for joining the humanitarian mission. &ldquo;Their crime was to carry aid for the hapless Palestinian people,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Peace must be given a chance, and humanitarian aid must reach those in need. This barbarity must end.&rdquo; Israeli forces detained hundreds of activists and transferred them to Ashdod port for deportation proceedings, sparking global outrage. Turkey, Spain, Colombia, and South Africa joined Pakistan in demanding the activists&rsquo; immediate release, while Amnesty International condemned the interception as &ldquo;an act of intimidation.&rdquo;

A screengrab from Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan’s X account shows his message before being detained by Israeli forces during the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla. (X/Senator Mushtaq)

Security

Politics

 Jamaat-e-Islami urged Pakistan to secure the safe return of ex-senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, detained on the Gaza flotilla. The Foreign Office and Prime Minister condemned Israel’s interception, as global outrage mounted and allies demanded activists’ release.

Pakistani religio-political party urges safe return of ex-senator detained on Gaza flotilla

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan continues to coordinate with allied nations to safeguard its nationals, reaffirming its commitment to their swift and safe return, the Foreign Office said Thursday, after Israel intercepted the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF).&nbsp;Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said Islamabad &ldquo;unequivocally condemned&rdquo; the interception, calling the flotilla a &ldquo;vital humanitarian mission embodying global solidarity and moral resolve.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;The Israeli actions constitute a grave violation of international law,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;Khan noted that on September 16, Pakistan had joined 15 other countries in issuing a joint statement expressing concern for the flotilla&rsquo;s security, stressing &ldquo;the safety and well-being of Pakistani citizens aboard the flotilla are of paramount importance.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;As Pakistan does not recognize Israel, we are working closely with international partners in the region to secure their immediate release and ensure their safety,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&lsquo;Barbarity must end&rsquo;&nbsp;Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned what he described as a &ldquo;dastardly attack&rdquo; on the flotilla, which carried more than 450 humanitarian workers from 44 countries, including Pakistanis.&nbsp;&ldquo;We hope and pray for the safety of all those illegally apprehended by Israeli forces and call for their immediate release,&rdquo; Sharif said. &ldquo;Their crime was to carry aid for the hapless Palestinian people.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;This barbarity must end,&rdquo; the prime minister added.&nbsp;&ldquo;Peace must be given a chance and humanitarian aid must reach those in need.&rdquo;&nbsp;Global outrageThe Global Sumud Flotilla, the largest yet to challenge Israel&rsquo;s Gaza blockade, sailed with over 40 vessels carrying activists, lawmakers, and campaigners, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.&nbsp;Organizers said their mission was to &ldquo;end Israel&rsquo;s illegal siege and ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people.&rdquo;&nbsp;Israeli naval forces intercepted the flotilla in a 12-hour Mediterranean operation, detaining hundreds of activists and transferring them to Ashdod port. Israel said the flotilla aimed to breach a &ldquo;legal maritime security blockade,&rdquo; while rights groups and governments worldwide denounced the move.&nbsp;Amnesty International called it &ldquo;an act of intimidation intended to punish and silence critics of Israel&rsquo;s genocide and its unlawful blockade on Gaza.&rdquo;&nbsp;Turkey described it as &ldquo;an act of terrorism,&rdquo; Spain demanded the release of 65 nationals aboard, and Colombia expelled Israel&rsquo;s diplomatic delegation while terminating a trade agreement. South Africa also urged the release of all detainees, including Mandla Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela.

Islamabad condemns Israel’s interception of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, stressing its nationals’ safety as a top priority. The Foreign Office says it is working with allied nations to secure their release amid growing global condemnation of Israel.

Pakistan working with allied countries to secure nationals from flotilla: Foreign Office

BRUSEELS: Belgium&#39;s foreign minister Maxime Prevot on Thursday slammed as &quot;unacceptable&quot; Israel&#39;s interception of pro-Palestinian activists on an aid flotilla headed towards Gaza, saying he has summoned the Israeli ambassador. &quot;The manner in which they were boarded and the location in international waters are unacceptable, which is why I summoned the ambassador,&quot; Prevot told lawmakers in Brussels.

Middle East

Belgium’s Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot condemned Israel’s interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters as “unacceptable.” He told lawmakers he has summoned the Israeli ambassador to explain the boarding of pro-Palestinian activists.

Belgium summons Israeli ambassador over Gaza flotilla interception

Activists on board a flotilla of vessels sailing toward Gaza said they were prepared for the Israel navy to intervene as they approached the besieged Palestinian territory on Wednesday after a tense night in the Mediterranean Sea. The Global Sumud Flotilla, with Greta Thunberg aboard, consists of about 50 boats and 500 activists and is carrying a symbolic amount of aid. It has remained undeterred in its mission to break the Israeli blockade of the coastal strip and reach Palestinians. &ldquo;Every minute we advance a little more,&rdquo; Thiago &Aacute;vila, one of the flotilla leaders and spokespeople, told reporters Wednesday in an online news conference from aboard the Alma, one of the flotilla&#39;s motherships. The ships were sailing in international waters north of Egypt on Wednesday morning and had entered what activists call a &ldquo;danger zone&rdquo; &mdash; which Israeli authorities had warned them not to cross and where the Israeli navy had stopped attempts by other flotillas in the past. Overnight, the activists said two Israeli warships aggressively approached two of their boats, circling around them and jamming their communications, including the live cameras on board. &ldquo;It was an intimidation act, they wanted us to see them,&rdquo; said Lisi Proen&ccedil;a, another activist who was on board the Sirius, a vessel that was targeted alongside the Alma. After the close encounter overnight, the military vessels eventually left and the flotilla continued on its journey, broadcasting live cameras from many of its boats. If undisturbed, it was to reach the shores of Gaza by Thursday morning, the group said. However, activists said that was unlikely and that they were expecting Israeli authorities to try to stop them at any moment, as they have done in past attempts. European governments, including Spain and Italy which had sent their navy ships to escort the flotilla during part of its journey, urged the activists to turn back and avoid confrontation. Italy has warned flotilla organizers that Israel would consider their incursion beyond the &ldquo;danger zone&rdquo; as a &ldquo;hostile act.&rdquo;

A drone picture shows a flotilla of humanitarian boats led by French activist Melissa, dubbed the “Thousand Madleens,” departing from the Sicilian port of San Giovanni li Cuti in Catania, Italy September 27, 2025. (Reuters)

A flotilla of 50 boats with 500 activists, including Greta Thunberg, sails toward Gaza with symbolic aid despite warnings from Israel. Activists reported intimidation by Israeli warships overnight and expect interception as they near the blockade zone

Activists on Flotilla approach Gaza, ready for Israeli interception

Reuters

ROME: The international flotilla attempting to deliver aid to Gaza reported on Wednesday that several of its boats were approached by unidentified vessels, some of which were navigating without lights. The Global Sumud Flotilla stated in a Telegram post that the vessels have departed, and participants have implemented security protocols in anticipation of a possible interception. The development comes a day after the Italian defense ministry said its navy would stop following the international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza once it gets within 150 nautical miles (278 km) of the shore. The Global Sumud Flotilla, consisting of more than 40 civilian boats carrying parliamentarians, lawyers, and activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, aims to break Israel&#39;s blockade of the Palestinian enclave. Once the convoy reaches the 150 nautical miles limit, the Italian frigate accompanying it will stop, &quot;as communicated several times in recent days,&quot; the ministry said in a statement. The ship will issue two warnings to activists, with the second and final one expected at around 00:00 GMT, when the flotilla is anticipated to reach the stated distance, the statement added. Earlier on Tuesday, an Italian spokeswoman for the flotilla, Maria Elena Delia, said that activists had been informed about the government&#39;s plans to have the navy ship stop and turn back to avoid &quot;a diplomatic incident&quot; with Israel. She said the flotilla had no intention of heeding Italy&#39;s warnings not to get closer to the shore. Italy and Spain deployed navy vessels last week to assist the flotilla, after it was hit by drones armed with stun grenades and irritants in international waters off Greece, but without any intention to engage militarily. Delia said activists were bracing for another strike in the coming hours. &quot;Israel will probably attack us tonight, because all the signals point to this happening,&quot; she said in a video on Instagram. Israel did not respond to flotilla accusations that it was behind last week&#39;s attacks, but it has vowed to use any means to prevent the boats from reaching Gaza, arguing that its blockade is legal as part of its war against Hamas militants. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has said he expects flotilla boats to be intercepted in the open sea and activists to face arrest. On Tuesday, Crosetto made a &quot;last appeal&quot; to flotilla members to accept a compromise proposal to drop aid in Cyprus and avoid a confrontation with Israeli forces. Flotilla representatives have repeatedly refused the offer. Israel began its Gaza offensive after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel in which some 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken as hostages, according to Israeli tallies. The offensive has since killed over 66,000 Palestinians, Gaza health authorities say.

Asia

Vessels later departed and flotilla participants implemented security protocols in anticipation of a possible interception.

Gaza flotilla says unlit vessels approached its boats, prompting security measures

ROME: A flotilla of 10 vessels set off for Gaza from Sicily, southern Italy, on Saturday, with 60 people on board, including elected officials from nine nations, said organizers. A statement from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) and the Thousand Madleens to Gaza (TMTG) said they intended to &quot;break the illegal Israeli blockade&quot; to deliver aid to the Palestinian territory. &quot;For the most part, our boats carry medical supplies, dry food, and school equipment, as this was highlighted as some of the biggest priorities by Palestinians on the ground,&quot; they added. They intend to join the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is also bound for Gaza carrying aid supplies. On board are elected officials from the European Parliament and from countries including Belgium, France, Ireland, Spain, and the United States. On Wednesday, the United Nations called for an investigation into alleged drone attacks off Greece against the Global Sumud Flotilla, which activists have blamed on Israel.

Ten vessels with 60 people from nine nations aim to "break the illegal Israeli blockade" to deliver aid to Palestine.

Articles tagged with "Global Sumud Flotilla"