Islamabad, October 7, 2025: Former Pakistani senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, who was detained by Israeli forces while attempting to deliver food and humanitarian aid to besieged Gaza, has been released, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced the news in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that Mushtaq Ahmed is currently at the Pakistani Embassy in Amman, Jordan, and “in good health and high spirits.” Dar said the embassy will extend full assistance for the senator’s safe return home and expressed gratitude to the “friendly countries” that helped secure his release.
Mushtaq Ahmed was reportedly arrested while leading a humanitarian convoy carrying essential food and relief supplies for Palestinians suffering under Israel’s blockade of Gaza amid ongoing hostilities. He spent nearly a week in an Israeli prison before being released.
In a video message following his release, the former senator confirmed his freedom and described the severe conditions he and others faced during detention.
“We were subjected to the worst torture,” he said, adding that detainees were kept in notorious facilities where “even clean drinking water was not available.”
Mushtaq Ahmed said he had reached Jordan along with 150 fellow activists after their release. “We were imprisoned for carrying food and aid for Gaza, but our resolve remains unshaken. We will continue our resistance against the blockade,” he declared.
Despite the ordeal, the former senator reaffirmed his unwavering support for the Palestinian cause.
“Our struggle will continue until the liberation of Gaza,” he said, adding that he intends to return to Pakistan soon to share more details of his experience.
Following the announcement, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar reiterated Pakistan’s steadfast support for humanitarian efforts in Gaza and expressed relief over Mushtaq Ahmed’s safe release.
“The embassy will provide all possible facilities for his safe return,” Dar stated, thanking friendly nations for their diplomatic assistance in securing the senator’s freedom.
The detention and subsequent release of Mushtaq Ahmed come amid growing international concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where access to food, water, and medical supplies remains critically limited under the ongoing Israeli blockade.
