In a move that has sparked outrage among Uyghur activists a group of 10 Pakistan -based businessmen recently returned from an eight-day trip to Xinjiang, China where they lavished praise on Beijing’s policies, as reported by Radio Free Asia a US government-funded nonprofit corporation.
The delegation, funded by the Chinese government, hailed the socalled development and peaceful living conditions of Uyghurs in the region, a narrative that activists
condemn as nothing more than parroting Chinese propaganda, Radio Free Asia reported.
According to Radio Free Asia, the businessmen, many of whom are ethnic Uyghurs, are being criticized for turning a blind eye to the brutal reality faced by their brethren in Xinjiang. With an estimated 1.8 million Uyghurs imprisoned in concentration camps under the guise of “job training facilities,” the Chinese government’s oppressive policies have drawn international condemnation.
However, the Pakistani delegation dismissed these well-documented atrocities, opting instead to echo Beijing’s claims of a harmonious and thriving Uyghur community, per Radio Free Asia.
Photos and videos from the tripwhich took place from August 20 and included stops in Urumqi, Korla, and Kashgar, show the businessmen, some donning traditional Uyghur
skullcaps, raising Chinese flags, and participating in state-organized events, as per Radio Free Asia.
Their social media posts featured musical performances and declarations that, “Muslims of all ethnicities are living happily in Xinjiang,” a statement that activists argue is a blatant
distortion of the truth, Radio Free Asia reported
The trip was part of a broader Chinese effort to whitewash its human rights abuses in Xinjiang by inviting delegations from mostly Muslim countries to showcase a sanitized version of life in the region, per Radio Free Asia report. This visit, however, marks the first
time that a foreign delegation comprising ethnic Uyghurs from a Muslim-majority country has been invited to Xinjiang, according to Uyghur activists
Omer Khan, founder of the Pakistan-based Omer UyghurTrust, expressed deep disappointment in the delegation to Radio Free Asia.
“Despite having relatives in prison, they remain silent about East
Turkistan because they benefit from the Chinese
consulate in Pakistan” Khan said, referring to
Xinjiang by its preferred Uyghur name. “Their actions
bring shame not only to Uyghurs in their homeland
but also to Uyghurs worldwide,” Khan said.
The Ex-Chinese Association Pakistan, established in
2007 with China’s support, has been at the forefront of
promoting the welfare of the Uyghur community in
Pakistan . However, their recent actions have drawn
fierce criticism from Uyghur communities both within
Pakistan and abroad. Many Uyghurs
living outside China have no contact with their relatives
in Xinjiang due to the Chinese government’s tight control over
information and communication. For them, the delegation’s
endorsement of Beijing’s narrative feels like a betrayal, Radio Free
Asia stated.
