Uyghur Activists Outraged as Pakistan Businessmen Praise China After Xinjiang Visit

Washington DC [United States], September 3: A group of 10 Pakistan-based businessmen recently returned from an eight-day trip to Xinjiang, China, where they praised Beijing’s policies. This has sparked outrage among Uyghur activists who condemn the businessmen for ignoring the harsh realities faced by Uyghurs in the region.

The trip, funded by the Chinese government, aimed to showcase the so-called development and peaceful living conditions of Uyghurs. However, activists argue that this narrative is merely Chinese propaganda. The businessmen, many of whom are ethnic Uyghurs, are being criticized for turning a blind eye to the estimated 1.8 million Uyghurs imprisoned in concentration camps under the guise of ‘job training facilities.’

Photos and videos from the trip, which took place from August 20 and included stops in Urumqi, Korla, and Kashgar, show the businessmen raising Chinese flags and participating in state-organized events. Their social media posts featured musical performances and declarations that ‘Muslims of all ethnicities are living happily in Xinjiang,’ a statement activists say distorts the truth.

This visit is part of a broader Chinese effort to whitewash its human rights abuses in Xinjiang by inviting delegations from mostly Muslim countries. This marks the first time a foreign delegation comprising ethnic Uyghurs from a Muslim-majority country has been invited to Xinjiang.

Omer Khan, founder of the Pakistan-based Omer Uyghur Trust, expressed deep disappointment in the delegation. ‘Despite having relatives in prison, they remain silent about East Turkistan because they benefit from the Chinese consulate in Pakistan,’ Khan said. ‘Their actions bring shame not only to Uyghurs in their homeland but also to Uyghurs worldwide.’

The Ex-Chinese Association Pakistan, established in 2007 with China’s support, has been promoting the welfare of the Uyghur community in Pakistan. However, their recent actions have drawn fierce criticism from Uyghur communities both within Pakistan and abroad. Many Uyghurs living outside China have no contact with their relatives in Xinjiang due to the Chinese government’s tight control over information and communication.

Uyghurs in Pakistan, particularly those in Gilgit and Rawalpindi, are outraged by what they see as complicity in China’s attempts to cover up its genocidal policies. Nearly 1,000 Uyghur families, who migrated from Xinjiang 50 to 60 years ago, still remain stateless in Pakistan, lacking citizenship and basic rights. Their voices add to the growing condemnation against those aiding China’s crimes against humanity.

In the face of such widespread criticism, the Ex-Chinese Association Pakistan has remained silent, refusing to comment on the matter. Meanwhile, Uyghur activists continue to call for justice and accountability for the millions of Uyghurs suffering under Chinese repression and for those who help obscure the truth.