PM Imran decries West’s double standards on Kashmir, Uyghur issues

Prime Minister Imran Khan has decried West’s double standards on the issues of Kashmir and Uyghurs as he prepared to visit China next week, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday.

In an interview with Chinese media men ahead of his next week’s visit to Beijing, Prime Minister Imran Khan said the Western countries on one waste no opportunity to highlight the Uyghur issue but on the other hand, they keep mum about the plight of Kashmiris suffering at the hands of Indian occupation forces.

Imran Khan said the situation in China’s Xinjiang province is quite different from what the Western media promote.

Time-tested ties

While expressing his eagerness to attend the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 during his upcoming visit to China, Imran Khan said that the time-tested ties between the two countries had grown strongly over a period of time.

He said both countries had bonds of friendship spanning over a period of 70 years, further cemented with the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He said “There is a feeling in Pakistan that China always stood with us in times of need and supported us during difficult times. Similarly, Pakistan also always stood with China.”

The prime minister also referred to the construction of the Karakorum Highway as a vital milestone in the chapter of Pakistan-China friendship. A number of Chinese died during its construction, he added.

Poverty alleviation model

To a question, Imran Khan replied the most impressive thing about China as acknowledged by the entire world was its success in taking 700 million people out of poverty during the last 30 or 40 years, adding such huge achievement had never happened before in human history.

He said it was such a feast that had impressed the world. “It is this fact which also impressed me as it coincides with my objective of steering my people out of poverty,’ he added.

Imran responding to another question maintained that they would like to emulate the steps taken by China to alleviate poverty. “We want to emulate the Chinese model of inclusive growth. The Chinese economy growth witnessed the prosperity of all Chinese people,” he maintained.

The prime minister said such inclusive growth excluded the bridge between the rich and the poor. China had been a model for all those countries that wanted inclusive growth, he added.

Such growth, he said, also contributed to wealth creation. China remained focused on the economy and when it attained growth, its fruits trickled down to all strata of society.

Xinjiang and Kashmir

About West’s so-called criticism of China over the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, the prime minister said that the Pakistan ambassador to China had visited the area and informed that such allegations were not true.

The prime minister said on the other hand, the West did not talk about the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) where the worst human rights violations had been committed by the Indian forces. “There is selective silence over Kashmir,” he said, adding the IIOJK had been turned into an open prison by 800,000 Indian troops, and such silence on Kashmir was deafening which was based upon double standards.

Afghanistan peace

To a query regarding Afghanistan, Imran Khan said the country had suffered for the last 40 years as the outer countries had turned its soil into a battleground. After 40 years, the war-weary country got a chance for peace, he said, adding the international community did not think of the Afghans after the foreign troops’ withdrawal. They did not think how these impoverished people would survive.

The prime minister said when the Soviets left Afghanistan, there was utter chaos and casualties. “Now everyone abandoned Afghanistan. I am talking about 40 million Afghan people currently facing worst humanitarian crises,” he said, warning that the same chaos and destruction could return to Afghan soil which occurred after Soviets’ pullout.

Imran Khan called upon the international community to focus on the welfare of Afghan people immediately who needed help as soon as possible without its likes or dislikes for the Taliban.

About Pakistan’s focus on geo-economics strategy, the prime minister stressed upon strengthening of its economy which according to him had, unfortunately, never been paid attention in the past.

CPEC developments

About the CPEC, the prime minister said its first phase was focused on connectivity and energy sector, but now they were developing special economic zones and agriculture, seeking Chinese cooperation to help improve their productivity, crops yield and livestock, citing the latest varieties of cotton crop as developed by China.

He also referred to the information and technology as another realm of cooperation as the future of the world hinged over the growth of IT sector. He opined that China had made strides in IT field.

Strategy for building megacities

Talking about another field of cooperation between the two countries, Imran said that they would be learning from the Chinese experience over building the megacities and coping the problems of air pollution and waste disposal etc.

He said Pakistan had been witnessing urbanization at the fastest pace and the Chinese model of urban development would be of great help.

Winter Olympics

Replying to a question, he said his upcoming visit to China in the next week would provide him an opportunity to witness the winter Olympics. Despite a sportsman for about 20 years, he had not witnessed such an event in the past. Being in politics, he did not get time for sports, the prime minister added.

Cricket in China

He said they would also teach the Chinese nation to play cricket, expressing hope that the Chinese would excel in this game as they had shown excellent performance in the Olympics games during the last few years.

He observed that Covid pandemic had devastated the world and badly affected the sporting events.

Tourism promotion

The prime minister said they would also promote skiing in Gilgit Baltistan and some other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province which had ideal skiing locations, adding in this regard they would be looking towards Chinese cooperation and coordination as the country had performed well in the winter sports.

The prime minister also expressed best wishes on his behalf and on behalf of the people of Pakistan to the Chinese government and the people on the advent of new lunar year.