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 non-profit corporation.
The delegation, funded by the Chinese government, hailed the so-called 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 trip, which 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 Uyghur Trust, 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.
Uyghurs in Pakistan, particularly those residing in Gilgit and Rawalpindi, are outraged by what they see as complicity in China’s attempts to cover up its genocidal policies. Nearly 1,000 Uyghur families, who migrated from Xinjiang 50 to 60 years ago, still remain stateless in Pakistan, lacking citizenship and basic rights. Their voices add to the growing chorus of condemnation against those who, in their view, are aiding and abetting China’s crimes against humanity, Radio Free Asia reported.
In the face of such widespread criticism, the Ex-Chinese Association Pakistan has remained silent, refusing to comment on the matter. Meanwhile, Uyghur activists continue to call for justice and accountability, both for the millions of Uyghurs suffering under Chinese repression and for those who, through their silence or active complicity, help to obscure the truth, Radio Free Asia reported.