The US has asked Pakistan why it is only bothered about the human rights of Muslims in Kashmir and is not highlighting the “horrific conditions” that continue to exist for the members of the community throughout China.
Alice Wells, US Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia, during a special briefing at the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly criticised Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for not speaking out against China, which has detained an estimated one million Uyghurs and other Turkic-speaking Muslims in Xinjiang province.
China is an all-weather ally of Pakistan. Beijing has often come to the rescue of Islamabad by trying to scuttle global efforts to impose sanctions against Pakistan-based terrorists like Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar and Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed.
China has been providing financial help to cash-strapped Pakistan to overcome its economic woes.
“I would like to see the same level of concern expressed also about Muslims who are being detained in Western China, literally in concentration-like conditions.
“And so being concerned about the human rights of Muslims does extend more broadly than Kashmir, and you’ve seen the administration very involved here during the UN General Assembly and trying to shine a light on the horrific conditions that continue to exist for Muslims throughout China,” Wells said.