Press Release
KARACHI: The progressive youth organization Alternate, in collaboration with the National Trade Union Federation Pakistan (NTUF) and the Home Based Women Workers Federation (HBWWF), held a protest outside the Karachi Press Club against the arrest and alleged torture of Saad Edhi, grandson of Abdul Sattar Edhi, by Israeli security forces. Representatives of political, social and human rights organizations joined the demonstration, alongside Saad Edhi’s mother, Saba Faisal Edhi, and his father, Faisal Edhi.
Addressing the participants, Faisal Edhi of the Edhi Foundation said Saad Edhi had been leading a humanitarian aid convoy carrying relief supplies from the people of Pakistan for Palestinians in Gaza. He said Saad was part of the international “Global Sumud Flotilla”, comprising more than 500 participants from different countries. The peaceful convoy, consisting of 45 boats, departed from Marmaris, Türkiye, for Gaza on 14 May 2026.
Nasir Mansoor of NTUF recalled that the convoy had set sail on the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, during which, in May 1948, more than 700,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from over 530 villages following the illegal occupation of their land. Around 15,000 Palestinians were killed during the catastrophe, he said.
Others who addressed the protest included Habibuddin Junaidi of the People’s Labour Bureau, progressive intellectual Dr Asghar Ali Dashti, Ahsan Mehmood Advocate of Alternate, Aqib Hussain, Iqbal Abro, Basit Malik Advocate, Bilawal Khan, Rabeel Abro, Himmat Ali Phulpoto, Aqsa Kanwal, Saira Feroze of the United HB Workers Union, comrade Jannat, Azhar Jamel of Concern for Citizen, Shuja Qurashi from The Knowledge Forum, Muhammad Shabbar of Climate March, Khan Badsha of the KCR Victims Association, Javeed from the Differently Abled Persons Association, and others.
He further stated that Saad Edhi, along with volunteers from various countries participating in the international convoy, was arrested by Israeli security forces in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea, around 200 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza. During detention, he was reportedly subjected to physical abuse and torture.
Qazi Khizar of HRCP said the arrest was a blatant violation of international law. “Saad Edhi’s only ‘crime’ was carrying humanitarian aid, including food, medicines and other essential supplies, for the victims of Gaza,” he said, adding that Israeli forces had also seized the relief goods.
Zehr Khan of HBWWF said Saad Edhi, grandson of the renowned humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi and son of Faisal Edhi, head of the Edhi Foundation, was internationally recognised for his humanitarian work. Continuing Abdul Sattar Edhi’s legacy, he had once again been carrying aid for Palestinians affected by the ongoing violence in Gaza, but had allegedly become a victim of detention and torture by Israeli security forces.
Saeed Baloch of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum called upon the secretary-general of the United Nations, international human rights organisations, the Government of Pakistan, and particularly Muhammad Ishaq Dar, to take immediate steps for the release of Saad Edhi.
Saba Edhi, mother of Saad Edhi, appealed to political and human rights organisations, journalists, teachers and lawyers across Pakistan to raise their voices against Israeli actions and demand the immediate release of Saad Edhi and other volunteers detained by what she described as Zionist forces.
