Former Pakistani senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan was arrested by Israeli forces while leading the Pakistani contingent on the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla. The Israeli forces intercepted and boarded the ship. The Pak-Palestine Forum used X to highlight the arrest and called for action to secure the release of Senator Ahmed and the international volunteers. “Only one ship has managed to escape i.e. observer boat, whose duty was to collect information and escape. Our second delegate Syed Uzair Nizami was sailing on the observer boat and shared the information regarding the interception of Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan’s ship,” according to the forum. The incident has occurred amidst the context of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan, which reportedly has backing from Arab and Muslim nations, including Pakistan. There are reports indicating that President Trump is pressuring Pakistan to recognize Israel and to join the Abraham Accord. Pakistan does not recognize Israel, and the Gaza issue holds significant sensitivity. The Israeli foreign ministry announced on X that several vessels of the Hamas-Sumud flotilla had been stopped and their passengers were being transferred to an Israeli port.
