- The repatriation of former Mushtaq senator to follow his deportation: fo
- The Ministry adds that the former legislator is “safe and good health. “
- Fleet activists complain of abuse in Israeli detention.
Islamabad: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday that Pakistan was actively involved with international partners to guarantee the security and repatriation of its citizens arrested by Israel in the interception of the Gaza Aid flotilla.
“Through the diplomatic channels of a friendly European country, we have confirmed that former Senator Mushtaq Ahmad is in the custody of the Israeli occupation forces and is safe and of good health,” said the press release issued by the FO.
In addition, it was added that the authorities of Pakistan have been informed that the former senator will appear before a court and, after the issuance of deportation orders, his repatriation will be easily facilitated.
The comments of the Ministry occur after the former legislator was arrested by the Israeli forces while participating in the Global Sumud flotilla on October 2, whose multiple vessels carried help to the territory devastated by the war currently under the Israeli block.
The former senator, who directed a Pakistani delegation of five members, joined the flotilla along with international activists and humanitarian aid groups.
However, the Israeli army intercepted more than 40 flotilla vessels, about 42.5 nautical miles (79 km) from Gaza and arrested more than 450 activists aboard the vessels.
Since then, Tel Aviv has faced generalized criticism from countries around the world.
Meanwhile, the FO recalled that the Ministry “had previously coordinated the safe return of the people who landed before. In this context, we express our deep gratitude to the fraternal countries that helped in the repatriation of our citizens.”
He further reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the protection of all his citizens abroad and anticipates the completion of this repatriation process in the next few days.
It is pertinent to know that negotiators will meet today in Cairo before the conversations aimed at ending almost two years of war in Gaza.
Diplomatic movements occurred after the Palestinian group Hamas responded positively to the road map of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, for freeing the captives and administering postwar gaza.
‘Terribly treaty’
137 of these activists arrived in Türkiye a day before after deportation, and two alleged that Swedish activist Greta Thunberg was mistreated during his detention.
The activists who landed at the Istanbul airport included 36 Turkish citizens, as well as citizens of the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Switzerland, Tunisia and Jordan, Turks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Two of them, Hazwani Helmi, a citizen of Malaysia, and Beaver from the Wind Field, an American citizen, said Reuters At the airport that had been witnesses to Thunberg being mistreated, saying that she was pushed and forced to use an Israeli flag.
“It was a disaster. They treated us as animals,” said Helmi, 28, adding that the detainees did not have clean food or water and that medications and belongings were confiscated.
Beaver, 43, said that Thunberg was “terribly treated” and “used as propaganda”, describing how she was pushed into a room when the Minister of National Security of the extreme right of Israel, Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that 26 Italians were aboard the flight of Turkish airlines, and another 15 are still staying in Israel and expelled in the next few days, along with activists from other nations.
“Once again, I have instructed the Italian embassy in Tel Aviv to ensure that the remaining compatriots are treated with respect to their rights,” Tajani wrote in X.
A first group of Italians of the Flotilla, four parliamentarians, arrived in Rome on Friday.
“Those who legally acted were the people aboard those ships; those who acted illegally were those that prevented them from reaching Gaza,” Arturo Scotto, one of the Italian legislators who participated in the mission, said at a press conference in Rome.
“We stopped brutally […] Brutally taken hostage, “said Benedetta Scuderi, another Italian parliamentarian.
According to Adalah, an Israeli group that offers legal assistance to flotilla members, some detainees were denied access to lawyers, water, medications and bathrooms.
They were also “forced to kneel with their hands with a zipper for at least five hours, after some participants sang ‘free Palestine’,” said Adalah.
– With additional contributions from Reuters, AFP
