ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday endorsed the Chinese version regarding Xinjiang’s 1.5 million Uyghur Muslims who have been allegedly facing stern human rights violations on a massive scale.
In an interaction with Chinese journalists, Khan observed that Beijing’s version on the issue was completely opposite to “what we hear from the western media and western governments.”
“Because we have a very strong relationship with China and because we have a relationship based on trust, we actually accept the Chinese version,” the prime minister said.
He noted that there were “much worse human rights issues” in the world that were not raised by the international press while referring to the situation in Indian-administered Kashmir.
“And we hear about Xinjiang and Hong Kong which is a bit hypocritical,” he continued.
Human Rights Watch, an international non-governmental organization, claimed in one of its reports earlier this year that about a million Muslims in Xinjiang had been “arbitrarily detained in 300 to 400 facilities” that included “’political education’ camps, pretrial detention centers, and prisons.”
“Given the gravity of the abuses against Turkic Muslims, there is a pressing need for concerned governments to take strong, coordinated action to advance accountability,” the HRW said while recommending a UN inquiry into the alleged rights abuses against the Uyghur community.
Last month, the prime minister refused to acknowledge reports about Uyghur Muslims during an interview with Axios on HBO channel, saying: “Whatever issues we have with the Chinese, we speak to them behind closed doors.”
“China has been one of the greatest friends to us in our most difficult times,” he maintained. “When we were really struggling, our economy was struggling, China came to our rescue. So, we respect the way they are.”
This is the first time, however, Khan has publicly endorsed the Chinses version on Xinjiang.
Last October, Pakistan’s National Security Advisory Dr. Moeed Yusuf told an Indian journalist Karan Thapar that Islamabad was not worried about the situation in Xinjiang.
“We are 100 percent satisfied it is a non-issue,” he told the interviewer. “The West can say what it wants. I can say to you as a responsible official that we know everything about Uighurs and it is a non-issue.”
Pakistan and China are celebrating 70 years of their diplomatic relations this year.
Pakistan accepts ‘China’s version’ on Xinjiang’s Uyghur Muslims — PM Khan
https://arab.news/z578a
Pakistan accepts ‘China’s version’ on Xinjiang’s Uyghur Muslims — PM Khan
- This is the first time a Pakistani prime minister has publicly endorsed Beijing’s narrative on the issue
- International rights groups have demanded UN investigation into the alleged persecution of Muslims in China’s northwest region
Islamic military coalition, Pakistan to deepen cooperation to combat ‘terrorism’ — Pakistani military
- Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition is a 43-member alliance that includes Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, UAE and other nations
- The Pakistani military statement comes after a meeting between IMCTC secretary-general and the chief of Pakistani defense forces in Rawalpindi
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation, including intelligence sharing and capacity building, to jointly combat “terrorism” and “extremism,” the Pakistani military said on Monday.
The IMCTC is a 43-member military alliance that was formed on Saudi Arabia’s initiative in Dec. 2015 to consolidate Muslim countries’ efforts in countering “terrorism.”
A 17-member IMCTC delegation is visiting Pakistan from Feb. 2-6 to conduct a training at National University of Sciences and Technology on “Re-integration and Rehabilitation of Extremist Elements,” according to the Pakistani military.
On Monday, IMCTC Secretary-General Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi held a meeting with Chief of Pakistani Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir to discuss cooperation among IMCTC member states.
“During the meeting, matters of mutual interest were discussed, with particular emphasis on regional security dynamics and enhanced cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing, said in a statement.
“Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to combating terrorism and extremism through collaborative strategies, intelligence sharing, and capacity building among member states.”
The IMCTC features Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Palestine, UAE, Bangladesh and other nations. In 2017, Pakistan’s former army chief Gen. (retd) Raheel Sharif was appointed as the IMCTC commander-in-chief.
During discussions with Major General Al-Moghedi, Field Marshal Munir appreciated the role of IMCTC in fostering stability and promoting coordinated counterterrorism initiatives across the Islamic world, according to the ISPR.
The IMCTC secretary-general acknowledged Pakistan’s significant contributions and sacrifices in the fight against militancy and lauded the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces.
“The meeting underscored the resolve of both sides to further strengthen institutional collaboration for peace, stability, and security in the region,” the ISPR added.
Pakistan enjoys cordial ties with most Muslim countries around the world, particularly Gulf Cooperation Council countries. In Sept. 2025, Pakistan signed a landmark defense pact with Saudi Arabia according to which an act of aggression against one country will be treated as an act of aggression against both.
