The World Uyghur Congress on September 16, criticized Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for keeping mum over the persecution of Uyghur Muslims in China. The Congress added that it is a matter of shame that Pakistan supports China's Beijing policy on minority community. Uyghurs are a minority Turkic ethnic group in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China who are part of China's 55 officially recognized ethnic minorities. The community is under a "fully-fledged police state" with extensive controls and restrictions upon their religious, cultural and social life.

"A couple of months ago, international journalists asked him about this (Uighur issue) several times, but he said that he doesn't know and is not aware of it. Pakistan Prime Minister very well knows what the Chinese government is doing to Uighur Muslims but he doesn't want to talk on this," the organisation's president Dolkun Isa said.

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Dolkun criticizes Pakistan's take on China

Dolkun Isa said that Pakistan is one of the biggest violators of human rights as it is helping China in hiding it. China has been accused of oppressing the Uighurs by sending them to mass detention camps, interfering in their religious activities and sending the community to undergo some form of forceful re-education or indoctrination. Yet the country claims that Uyghur detention camps were actually vocational training centres. Dolkun calls the statement a "lie".

"Pakistan is one of the biggest violators of human rights and China is hiding the reality internationally. Speaking on China's statement on detention camps he said, It is just a lie from the Chinese side. They are trying to hide things and are committing crimes against humanity.

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Imran more interested in Kashmiris than Uyghurs

China has been condemned internationally for oppressing Muslim minorities. For the same reason Imran Khan has come under heavy criticism for his "double standards" for supporting China. Dolkun too has accused him of not paying attention to Uyghurs and called it a shame. Yet he is desperately attempting to portray himself as an ambassador of Kashmiri people. 

"Pakistan Prime Minister brings up the Kashmir issue all the time but when it comes to the Uyghurs he closes his eyes and supports China's policy. This is a double standard. It is a shame," he said.

During an interview with a news channel, Imran Khan talked at length about his version of conditions of Kashmiris. He said that the BJP led government is "racist" and "fascist". When journalist Mohammed Jamjoom asked the cricketer-turned-politician whether he had ever got a chance to discuss the issue of Uighur Muslims with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Khan replied that he does not know "much" about the problem. He added that Beijing is Islamabad's "best friend".

"No, I have not. We have been facing so many of our internal problems right now that I do not know much about this problem. Let's face it, ever since we came to power, apart from the economy and apart from dealing with the situation in Kashmir, we have been inundated with problems. I will say one thing about China. For Pakistan, China has been the best friend," Imran Khan said.

(With inputs from ANI)

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