Ex-senator Mushtaq Ahmad discloses why he quit Jamaat-e-Islami

ISLAMABAD: Former Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan has disclosed the reasons behind his decision to part ways with Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), clarifying that it was not driven by resentment, jealousy, or any grudge against the party.

Speaking on ARY News program Eleventh Hour, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan stated that his resignation from Jamaat-e-Islami was purely based on his desire to work more freely on humanitarian issues, including human rights advocacy and efforts for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui’s release.

He revealed that he tendered his resignation on September 19 — the day he departed from Sicily for Gaza — at a time when he believed there was little chance of returning alive. “I had written my will and settled all affairs in Pakistan before leaving, and that’s when I submitted my resignation,” he said.

Explaining his recent ordeal, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan shared that Israeli forces had arrested him and other activists, taking them to the Ashdod Port in occupied Palestine. “Israel tore down the Palestinian flags on our boats and kept us hidden to conceal its ugly face before the world,” he claimed.

The former senator further remarked that credit for the Gaza ceasefire should go to the people of Europe. “European citizens did what the Muslim world completely failed to do,” he said.

Also Read: Ex-Senator Mushtaq returns to the country after being freed from Israeli detention

Earlier, former Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan arrived in Pakistan on Thursday after being released from Israeli detention.

He had been a part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which came under attack by Israeli forces while en route to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

He received a warm and enthusiastic welcome at the airport, where hundreds of pro-Palestinian supporters, including JI workers and civil society activists, gathered to show solidarity. The activists waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans in support of Gaza.

Senator Mushtaq’s participation in the humanitarian flotilla was part of an international civil society effort to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza and deliver aid to the besieged population.