While Islamabad spares no effort in condemning India and other adversaries, it pointedly avoids criticising Beijing — choosing economic dependency and strategic alignment over consistent advocacy for Muslim rights
Pakistan has long positioned itself as a defender of Muslim causes worldwide, from Kashmir to Palestine, claiming to stand up for the oppressed. However, this self-proclaimed role rings hollow when confronted with its deafening silence on the Chinese government’s systematic oppression of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang (East Turkistan).
While vocally condemning alleged human rights violations in India and elsewhere, Pakistan’s conspicuous inaction over the Uyghur issue exposes a glaring double standard rooted in geopolitical expediency rather than genuine concern for Muslim human rights.
Uyghur Crisis: A Humanitarian Catastrophe
The Uyghurs, a Turkic Muslim minority in China’s Xinjiang province, have been subject to one of the most extensive state-led surveillance and internment campaigns in the modern world.
Reports from global human rights organisations, satellite imagery, and testimonies of survivors paint a grim picture: Over a million Uyghurs have been detained in so-called “re-education camps,” where they are subjected to ideological indoctrination, forced labor, sexual abuse, and the systematic erasure of their religious and cultural identity. Mosques have been demolished, Quranic study has been criminalised, fasting during Ramadan is discouraged, and Islamic names are banned. Yet, while the global Muslim community expresses concern, the Government of Pakistan remains curiously indifferent.
The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Factor
At the heart of Pakistan’s silence lies the multi-billion-dollar China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). For a nation struggling with economic instability, Chinese investment is a lifeline.
Beijing’s financial support — from infrastructure development to loans and diplomatic backing at international forums — has bought Islamabad’s loyalty. This economic dependency has led Pakistan to mortgage its moral authority on Muslim rights. Any criticism of Beijing’s policies in Xinjiang is avoided for fear of jeopardising economic ties. In fact, Pakistan has not only remained silent but has actively supported China’s narrative in international forums, praising its “anti-terrorism” measures in Xinjiang.
Diplomatic Hypocrisy on Display
The inconsistency in Pakistan’s stance becomes even starker when contrasted with its aggressive international campaign against India’s actions in Kashmir. Pakistan frequently raises the Kashmir issue at the United Nations, OIC, and other international bodies, projecting itself as the voice of the Kashmiri Muslims. But when it comes to the Uyghurs, Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts vanish. During multiple UN sessions where China was criticised for its treatment of Uyghurs, Pakistan either abstained or signed letters backing Beijing. This duplicity sends a dangerous message: Muslim rights are worth defending only when politically or strategically convenient.
Domestic Repression of Uyghur Concerns
Adding to this hypocrisy, Pakistan has reportedly discouraged discussions about the Uyghur plight within its own borders. Uyghur refugees and activists in Pakistan live in fear, with some alleging harassment by authorities and pressure to remain silent. This domestic repression mirrors the external silence, further entrenching Pakistan’s complicity in the erasure of Uyghur voices. Religious parties, usually vocal on issues involving Muslim persecution abroad, have also largely remained quiet — presumably due to political alignment or external pressure.
This suppression of dissent reveals how deeply Pakistan’s strategic alliance with China has infiltrated even public discourse.
Silencing the Muslim World
Pakistan’s stance influences other Muslim-majority nations as well. As a founding member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Pakistan holds significant sway in shaping the bloc’s agenda. Yet, despite growing evidence of the Uyghur genocide, the OIC has remained largely inactive, reflecting the influence of both China and Pakistan in muting criticism from the Muslim world. This failure to stand with oppressed Muslims undermines the credibility of the OIC and exposes the geopolitical nature of its advocacy. It also leaves Uyghur Muslims feeling abandoned by the very countries they once looked to for solidarity.
Global Perception and Long-Term Costs
Pakistan’s double standards are not lost on the global community. Its selective outrage weakens its moral authority and makes its claims on human rights appear politically motivated.
By choosing to align uncritically with China, Pakistan risks being seen as an enabler of human rights abuses rather than a champion of Islamic solidarity. Furthermore, this silence has alienated segments of civil society and rights activists within Pakistan itself, many of whom are increasingly critical of the Government’s hypocrisy. Over time, this erosion of trust could have consequences for Pakistan’s image — not only in the Muslim world but also in broader international forums.
Pakistan’s silence on the Uyghur Muslim crisis is a moral failure driven by economic dependency and political opportunism. While it continues to present itself as a global advocate for Muslim causes, its refusal to confront China over the persecution of Uyghurs lays bare the opportunistic nature of its foreign policy.
Pakistan’s Consistent Support to China in the UN
Pakistan has consistently supported China on issues related to Xinjiang (Uyghur human rights) at the United Nations. It has opposed resolutions criticising China’s policies in Xinjiang, aligning with its strong bilateral ties with China and its stance against what it views as interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states.
For example, in 2019, Pakistan was among 50 countries that signed a joint letter to the UN Human Rights Council praising China’s policies in Xinjiang. In 2021, Pakistan, along with other countries, opposed Western-led efforts to condemn China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims.
In October 2022, the UN Human Rights Council voted on a Western-led motion to hold a formal debate on a UN report indicating potential “crimes against humanity” by China in Xinjiang.
The outcome was 19 votes against, 17 in favour, and 11 abstentions. Pakistan, along with other Muslim-majority countries such as Qatar, voted against the motion. If Pakistan genuinely wishes to raise human rights issues on the global stage, it must abandon this double standard. Defending Muslim rights must not be selective — it must be consistent, principled, and independent of geopolitical calculations. Until then, its silence will echo louder than its words.
The author is the National Chairman of the Muslim Students’ Organisation of India