Pakistan engages partners for safe repatriation of citizens detained in Gaza flotilla raid

Pakistan said on Sunday it is working closely with international partners to secure the safe and prompt repatriation of its citizens detained by Israeli forces after the interception of a humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that former Senator Mushtaq Ahmad, one of several Pakistanis aboard the Sumud flotilla, is in Israeli custody but remains safe and in good health.

“Pakistan is actively engaged with its international partners to ensure the safety and prompt repatriation of its citizens who were illegally detained by the Israeli occupying forces,” the ministry said.

It added that through the diplomatic channels of a “friendly European country,” authorities had verified Ahmad’s well-being and were informed that he would soon appear before a local court in Israel. After legal procedures conclude, deportation orders will be issued, and his repatriation will be “facilitated on a fast-track basis,” the statement said.

The ministry also noted that it had previously coordinated the return of Pakistanis who disembarked from the flotilla earlier and expressed gratitude to “brotherly countries” that assisted in their safe passage.

“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,” the statement said.

The latest development follows Islamabad’s earlier condemnation of Israel’s naval raid on the Global Sumud Flotilla, which carried humanitarian aid for Gaza.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif demanded the “immediate and unconditional release” of Pakistani nationals detained in the operation, stressing that Pakistan “upholds the principles of respect for human life, safe access, and uninterrupted delivery of aid.”

He said the government “remains committed and prayerful for their safety, dignity, and earliest possible repatriation.”

Shehbaz also praised the “dignified participation” of Pakistanis in the mission, saying their involvement reflected “the peace-loving aspirations of the Pakistani people, their commitment to justice, and their spirit of helping those in need.”

Those identified among the participants included Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Mazhar Saeed Shah, Wahaj Ahmed, Dr Osama Riaz, Ismail Khan, Syed Aziz Nizami, and Fahad Ishtiaq. The prime minister noted there could be additional Pakistani citizens among the detainees.

According to the Pakistan-Palestine Forum, which supported Pakistan’s participation in the mission, Israeli naval forces intercepted the flotilla about 70 nautical miles off Gaza’s coast around 3 a.m. Thursday. The raid involved more than 450 activists and aid workers from 44 countries.

- YouTube youtu.be

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the flotilla was “safely stopped” because it approached an “active combat zone” and violated what it described as a “lawful naval blockade” around Gaza. It said those detained would face deportation proceedings after being transferred to an Israeli port.

Flotilla organizers called the operation “illegal,” alleging that Israeli forces rammed vessels, used water cannons, and jammed distress signals and livestreams.

The Pakistan-Palestine Forum announced protests in major cities — including Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, and Multan — to demand the immediate release of those detained.

The interception, the third such incident in recent months, comes amid worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza. The United Nations said in August that famine-like conditions exist in the enclave, blaming Israel’s “systematic obstruction” of aid — an accusation Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected as “an outright lie.”