Why Xinjiang, not Kashmir
PRIME Minister Imran Khan rightly pointed towards the hypocrisy of the West with regard to silence on Kashmir issue.
On one hand, there is unnecessary hue and cry for peaceful Xinjiang and on the other, there is complete silence.
Khan also said that the Pakistani diplomat visited the Xinjiang region and called the western allegation false and fabricated.
Back in 2021 from 30 March to 02 April, a delegation comprising the Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Vladimir Norov and more than 30 diplomats from some 21 countries visited Xinjiang.
The delegation found the region peaceful and prosper contrary to the image portrayed by the western media.
Chinese efforts and practical training provided to the people of the area improved the life of the people and helped in the elimination of violence and extremism from this region.
According to Chinese media from 2014 to 2019, the GDP of Xinjiang increased from 919.59 billion Yuan to 1.36 trillion Yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 7.2 percent and with exceptional decrease in poverty.
Despite Covid 19 restrictions and US sanctions on the basis of so called human rights violations and forced labour Chinese work report says that Xinjiang produced 5.13 million metric tons of cotton in 2021, which accounted for 89.5 per cent of China’s total.
In addition, 469,400 tons of photovoltaic materials were produced in the region, an increase of 30.9 percent year-on-year.
The region’s GDP in 2021 saw healthy growth of 7 percent year-on-year.The allegations like religious restriction, cultural genocide, forced labour and forced sterilization were rejected by the local people of Xinjiang on multiple occasions.
Actually protection of freedom of religious belief is a long-term basic national policy of the Chinese government and part of its Constitution.
Xinjiang protects freedom of religious belief and ensures orderly practice of religion.
Additionally, China not only promotes standard language but also protects the language spoken by its minorities and arranged a bilingual education that facilitates the larger number of ethnicities.
We know that promotion of standard language is true to every state of the world but western writings showcase the Chinese case exclusively which looks absurd.
Now coming to the accusation of forced sterilization and family planning it was surprising that when Han majority was allowed only to have one child the ethnic minorities were allowed to have two children it was due to this the population of minorities maintained a rapid growth.
I thinks it is a time that world must work together to eliminate the real disturbing issues like India-occupied Kashmir.
Almost two and a half years of Indian revoking article 370 and limiting autonomy of the valley political activities in the disputed region have stopped, businesses are moving to zero, while people’s rights are being suppressed through harsh laws.
This is not new for the innocent people of the region for decades.
The Indian security forces have abused civilians during search operations, the detainees and murdered civilians, many women were raped and recently even minors were taken into custody.
On the other hand India is busy in doing propaganda against Pakistan and targeting China Pakistan Economic Corridor, funding terrorist to destabilize Balochistan.
Western countries should set their efforts and time in stopping Indian brutalities in Kashmir rather wasting time in maligning China over Xinjiang.
—The writer is Research Associate at the Eurasian Century Institute Islamabad.
