New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan attracted criticism from his own citizens for denying the atrocities against Uyghur Muslims in China’s Xinjiang province Monday, ahead of his visit to Beijing for the Winter Olympics opening ceremony on 4 February 2022.
During an interview with Chinese media Saturday, PM Khan said how the “double standards” of the West show in their “selective silence” on human rights violations in Kashmir.
“What we find very difficult to swallow in Pakistan is that while they talk about Uighurs, they do not talk much in the West about IoK because the worst human rights violations are taking place there by India. Somehow there is selective silence about human rights in IoK where around nine million people are basically living in the worst conditions — [it’s] almost an open prison — by these 800,000 Indian troops. On one side they talk about Xinjiang, but on the other, there is this silence on IoK, which is deafening for us”, PM Khan said during an interview with Chinese reporters in Islamabad.
Khan’s statement, however, have also been difficult to swallow for many people.
A comment on YouTube read how the Pakistani Prime Minister had gone “overboard” by comparing the situations in East Turkestan with that of Kashmir and called the comparison “unimaginable”.
Zartaj Gul Wazir, Pakistan Minister of State for Climate Change, shared a clip from the interview on Twitter with the caption: “Contrary to anti-China propaganda done by some in the West, our own findings about the state of #Uighurs are that accusations made on China are false. However, we in Pakistan are quite surprised over the deafening silence by the same quarters about Indian atrocities in #Kashmir”.
Contrary to anti-China propaganda done by some in the West, our own findings about the state of #Uighurs are that accusations made on China are false.
However, we in Pakistan are quite surprised over the deafening silence by the same quarters about Indian atrocities in #Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/4P3HoJLWsd
— Zartaj Gul Wazir (@zartajgulwazir) January 29, 2022
Responding to this post, a Twitter user called Khan the face of “hypocrisy and double standards” and wrote, “Ughyr Muslims are being killed, women being raped and here our honourable PM @ImranKhanPTI says “This is actually not true on the ground. He has actually undermined the solidarity for Kashmir”. Another called him the “propaganda minister of china”.
If hypocrisy and double standards have face.Ughyr Muslims are being killed,women being raped and here our honourable PM @ImranKhanPTI says “This is actually not true on the ground”He has actually undermined the solidarity for Kashmir. https://t.co/7Xu1ZKJfBj
— Mynahhh (@rafiatariq19) January 30, 2022
Meet the propaganda minister of china. https://t.co/gr0LvcH53g
— Imad khan (@Khaghalay) January 29, 2022
While one termed this instance as “A hypocrite calling out other hypocrites”, another called him “Gaslighter-in-chief talking about double standards”.
A hypocrite calling out other hypocrites!!
SO you accept China is committing Genocide?!? 2 wrongs DON'T make a right!!
Also, Pakistani Missing Persons??
"PM Imran calls out West's 'double standards' on Xinjiang and IoK" https://t.co/AUcU7pySru
— Amna Rizvi (@amnamrizvi) January 29, 2022
Gaslighter-in-chief talking about double standards. https://t.co/AAvndMzt8G
— Naziha (@naziha_syedali) January 29, 2022
Some Pakistanis slammed Khan for “sucking up to China”, with one saying that there’s “only cowardice in this glorified stance by #ImranKhan who can only make a huge hue & cry about Kashmir or Palestine but stay silent on #UyghurGenocide”.
There's only cowardice in this glorified stance by #ImranKhan who can only make a huge hue & cry about Kashmir or Palestine but stay silent on #UyghurGenocide. 1/2 https://t.co/DGkKEZsvfw
— Roberta Muller (@Roberta_mull) January 31, 2022
Another Pakistani slammed Khan for “using” Kashmiris’ sufferings to suck up to China and said his statement was “Hypocritical, heartless & thoughtless on so many levels. Denying ethnic cleansing of Muslims while harping on Islamophobia. Damaging Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir. Can he leave Kashmir alone, in words too?”.
Hypocritical, heartless & thoughtless on so many levels.
Denying ethnic cleansing of Muslims while harping on Islamophobia
Using Kashmiris' sufferings to suck up to China
Damaging Pakistan's stance on Kashmir
Can he leave Kashmir alone, in words too?https://t.co/hbeVm1bzdS
— Umar Aftab Butt (@documaraftab) January 29, 2022
“In trying to build global solidarity for 8 million Muslims in Kashmir, while simultaneously trying to sabotage global solidarity for 15 million Muslims in East Turkestan, @ImranKhanPTI is undermining global solidarity for both!”, wrote C.J. Werleman.
In trying to build global solidarity for 8 million Muslims in Kashmir, while simultaneously trying to sabotage global solidarity for 15 million Muslims in East Turkestan, @ImranKhanPTI is undermining global solidarity for both! https://t.co/nmJNdA3o0z
— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) January 30, 2022