No govt official contacted us after Mushtaq Ahmed’s abduction, says ex-senator’s wife

Former Jamaat-e-Islami senator Mushtaq Ahmed’s wife revealed that the government made no contact with her following the abduction of her husband by Israeli forces from the Global Sumud Flotilla. She said that, in the absence of official support, his supporters and activists stepped in and made efforts on their own for his release.

Mushtaq Ahmed had sailed towards Gaza as part of a flotilla of more than 50 boats carrying aid for the besieged population, already suffering under an ongoing genocide by Israel.

On Wednesday, Israeli forces intercepted all the vessels and illegally arrested the activists aboard when they were about 70 nautical miles from Gaza. According to the Israeli foreign ministry, the activists would be taken to an Israeli port before being deported.

Several countries demanded that Israel ensure the safety of their nationals detained during the raid. Spain, Colombia, Brazil, Turkiye, and Pakistan explicitly held Israel responsible for protecting their citizens.

Mushtaq Ahmed’s wife, however, disclosed that in the crucial initial hours of his abduction, along with dozens of others, the Pakistani government made no effort to reach out to his family. The incident sparked outrage in Pakistan, while protests broke out in several other countries demanding his release.

“Though the flotilla had been sailing for days and we feared such arrests might happen, we received no support from the government,” she remarked.

She explained that Mushtaq Ahmed’s supporters and activists held press conferences and staged protests to push for his release. She added that, since the government had not reached out, she and others filed an 'application' with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“We also submitted a resolution in the Senate and later filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court. Although the first hearing was delayed and several objections were attached to it, our legal team managed to handle the matter well,” she said.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif acknowledged the situation, lauded the efforts being made and called for the immediate release of Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, Mazhar Saeed Shah, Wajahat Ahmed, Dr Osama Riaz, Ismail Khan, Syed Aziz Nizami, and Fahad Ishtiaq, among other Pakistanis aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla.

“The Government of Pakistan strongly demands the return of its citizens while praying and striving for their safety, dignity, and swift return to the homeland,” he added.