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
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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
Pakistani religio-political factions ends Karachi sit-in after peace agreement reached in Kurram
- Majlis Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen had camped at over 10 locations in Karachi since last week to protest Kurram violence
- The conflict started on November 21 when 52 people were killed in an ambush targeting a local convoy of residents
KARACHI: A Pakistani religio-political party announced on Wednesday an end to its sit-in protests in the southern port city of Karachi after warring tribes in Pakistan’s northwestern Kurram district signed a peace agreement to end prolonged violence that started in November.
The Majlis Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen (MWM) had been leading demonstrations at over 10 locations in Karachi since last week to protest the violence in Kurram, which has long been plagued by tribal and sectarian clashes.
The unrest escalated after a deadly ambush on a convoy on November 21 killed 52 people, mostly Shias, triggering clashes that have since claimed at least 136 lives in the district, home to a population of around 600,000.
“I announce the conclusion of the sit-ins and protests held in Pakistan and around the world in support of the oppressed people of Kurram district,” Senator Allama Raja Nasir, the leader of MWM, said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “From Karachi to Khyber, the elderly, youth and women who braved harsh cold weather to hold sit-ins in solidarity with their compatriots are remarkable and unparalleled individuals who awakened the government and security institutions from their slumber.”
He described the peace agreement as a positive development, adding that his party would continue to raise its voice and strive for the permanent resolution of Kurram’s issues until the agreement was fully implemented.
The sit-ins in Karachi had disrupted life in the port city, drawing sharp warnings from the Sindh administration that threatened stern action if demonstrators did not move their protests to designated spots.
Tensions boiled over earlier this week when law enforcement officials clashed with protesters in Karachi.
Meanwhile, in Kurram, warring factions signed the peace agreement on Wednesday following weeks of mediation by a grand jirga — a council of tribal and political elders formed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provincial government.
Under the agreement, both sides pledged to dismantle bunkers, surrender heavy weapons to the government, and refrain from using arms against each other.
“Both sides have agreed on the demolition of bunkers and the handover of heavy weapons,” KP government spokesperson Muhammad Ali Saif said in a statement. “We congratulate the people of Kurram on the signing of the peace agreement, which will usher in a new era of peace and prosperity in Kurram.”
Saif added the agreement would ensure a return to normalcy in the district.
According to the agreement, violations will trigger government action with the cooperation of a peace committee against the offending area.
Kurram, situated along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan, has a history of violent tribal conflicts and militant attacks. A major conflict between Sunni and Shia tribes erupted in 2007 and continued for years before a jirga-mediated truce was reached in 2011.
Pakistan vows to work with other states to address global conflicts at the onset of UNSC term
- Pakistan has replaced Japan on the Asia seat as a non-permanent Security Council member for two years
- A formal flag-raising ceremony will be held at the UN headquarters today to welcome the new members
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday Pakistan would work closely with United Nations member states as the country started its two-year term on the UN Security Council with a pledge to strive for an end to global conflicts and mitigate the impact of great power rivalries.
This marks the eighth time Pakistan has taken a seat as a non-permanent member of the UNSC since joining the world body in 1947.
The 15-member council includes five permanent members — the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France — and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.
Non-permanent members play a crucial role by contributing to discussions on global peace and security, as well as influencing the drafting of resolutions.
“Pakistan has proudly assumed its seat at the United Nations Security Council for the term 2025-26,” Sharif said in a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“We remain fully committed to the UN Charter and its principles,” he continued. “During its term, Pakistan looks forward to playing a constructive role at the UNSC and working closely with other members of the Security Council to contribute to global peace and security.”
A formal flag-raising ceremony will be held at the UN headquarters in New York on Thursday to welcome the incoming members of the Council. Pakistan replaces Japan on the Asian seat, joining Denmark, Greece, Panama and Somalia as new non-permanent members for the 2025-26 term.
Speaking a day earlier, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Munir Akram, highlighted the country’s commitment to addressing global challenges.
“As a responsible state — the fifth largest by population — Pakistan will play an active and constructive role, in accordance with the UN Charter, to halt wars, promote the pacific settlement of disputes and contain the negative impacts of great power rivalries, the arms race, new weapons and domains of conflict as well as the spreading scourge of terrorism,” he said.
The federal cabinet also hailed Pakistan’s assumption of the UNSC seat, calling it a diplomatic success and an opportunity to enhance the country’s contributions to international peace and security.
Pakistan’s term as a non-permanent member comes amid rising geopolitical tensions and ongoing challenges, including regional conflicts and global economic instability.
Sharif’s government has pledged to use its position to advocate for peaceful dispute resolution and the principles of the UN Charter.
From heartbreak to hope: A polio survivor’s father fights the virus in southwest Pakistan
- Hajji Abdullah Khan started advocating polio vaccination after his son’s diagnosis in 2019
- The 74-year-old worries about his son’s future, as he struggles to walk even short distances
PISHIN, Balochistan: On a crisp December morning, Hajji Abdullah Khan walks through the crumbling streets of Killi Taratt, a small village in Pakistan’s polio-endemic Balochistan province, accompanied by his five-year-old son, Muhammad Hamza, who struggles to walk without support. Their journey is more than just a stroll— it’s a mission to meet villagers ahead of a province-wide anti-polio vaccination campaign.
Polio, which causes crippling paralysis and has no cure, remains a persistent threat to young children. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where polio is still endemic, despite Islamabad’s decades-long eradication efforts that began in 1994.
Hamza, the twin brother of a sister, was diagnosed with Type 1 wild poliovirus in July 2019 after suffering a high fever that prompted his father to take him to a hospital in Quetta. There, doctors confirmed that the boy had contracted the disease.
Since then, 74-year-old Khan has become a vocal advocate for anti-polio campaigns, working to convince hesitant families in his village, located 10 kilometers from Balochistan’s high-risk Pishin district. His efforts are all the more remarkable given his financial constraints, with his family solely dependent on the earnings of four of his children who work as daily wage laborers.
“There are nine children in my home and Hamza is the favorite one of his mother,” Khan told Arab News. “My wife used to hide him from polio teams because of fear that he might catch an evil eye. Since my son was declared a polio-affected child, I have started my struggle of advocating polio vaccine to convince the resisting parents by sharing my tale of suffering with them. Thus, the resistance against polio vaccine has declined in my village and Pishin district.”
Pakistan has reported 67 new polio cases this year amid attacks on polio workers and the security personnel guarding anti-polio vaccination teams in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan provinces, which border Afghanistan. According to the National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC) for Polio Eradication, Balochistan reported the highest number of cases this year, with 27 infections recorded across 13 districts.
Last month, the Balochistan government postponed an anti-polio drive for two weeks due to security threats and logistical challenges arising from a boycott by provincial health staff.
Khan shared that poliovirus had affected Hamza’s left leg and arm, which at times stop functioning completely.
“While he can walk with support, nonetheless, sometimes his leg and arms stop working and he falls on the ground,” he said.
Despite nationwide vaccination drives and endorsements from prominent religious scholars and political figures, many parents in Pakistan remain skeptical of the polio vaccine. Public health studies attribute this hesitancy to factors such as lack of awareness, poverty and rural residency.
Dr. Najeebullah Khan, an official at the Balochistan Emergency Operation Center, said most cases in Balochistan in 2024 involved children whose parents had hidden them during vaccination campaigns.
“We need parents like Hajji Abdullah Khan who have been helping us in saving other children from lifetime disability,” he told Arab News, calling Khan an “ambassador for anti-polio vaccination.”
A sub-national polio vaccination campaign was launched in all 36 districts of the province on December 30 and will continue until January 5.
Dr. Najeebullah expressed optimism about a decline in polio cases in 2025, saying, “We have removed flaws from Union Council to provincial level and reset our strategy for the ... provincial anti-polio drive.”
Khan expressed concern about the future of his son, who barely manages to walk to a nearby seminary for religious education.
“I am worried about my son’s future because when me and my wife will die, my son will keep falling in the streets,” Khan said.
“Who will feed and clean him? No one,” he lamented, urging parents to vaccinate their children at all costs.
Pakistan government, ex-PM Khan party to resume talks to break political deadlock today
- Khan’s party wants political prisoners released, establishment of judicial commissions to investigate protests
- Khan’s ouster in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022 has plunged Pakistan into a political crisis
Islamabad: Former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and the government will resume talks today, Thursday, in a bid to break political tensions in the country.
The government and PTI held the first round of formal negotiations on Dec. 23, with the PTI asked to present its demands in writing on Jan. 2. Khan previously rejected talks with the government, saying his party would only talk to the “real powerbrokers” in Pakistan, the all-powerful army.
However, last month he set up a negotiating committee of top party members to open a dialogue with the government for the fulfilment of two demands: the release of political prisoners and the establishment of judicial commissions to investigate protests on May 9, 2023, and Nov. 26, 2024, which the government says involved his party supporters, accusing them of attacking military installations and government buildings.
Khan’s ouster in a parliamentary no-trust vote in 2022 has plunged Pakistan into a political crisis, particularly since the PTI founder was jailed in August last year on corruption and other charges and remains behind bars. His party and supporters have regularly held protests calling for his release, with many of the demonstrations turning violent.
“We doubt their intentions and we think they are just trying to buy time,” Meher Bano Qureshi, a PTI leader, told a private news channel on Wednesday. “But still we are talking to them with an open heart and very seriously.”
The talks opened days after Khan threatened a civil disobedience movement and amid growing concerns he may face trial by a military court for allegedly inciting attacks on sensitive security installations during the May 9, 2023, protests.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, who took part in the negotiations last month, said on Dec. 23 that the first round of talks were held in a “cordial” environment, calling them vital to end “political polarization” in the country.
“The opposition will also present a charter of demands in the meeting,” he said.
Khan’s close aide, Asad Qaiser, told reporters that the PTI team had asked the government to release all political prisoners, including the former prime minister, and form a judicial commission, comprising senior Supreme Court judges, to probe the May 9 and Nov. 26 protests.
28 injured in Karachi due to aerial firing on New Year’s Eve
- Karachi police confirm arresting 12 people for resorting to aerial firing in the city
- Aerial firing is common but dangerous practice in Pakistan during joyous occasions
KARACHI: At least 28 people, among them two women, were injured in multiple incidents of aerial firing in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on New Year’s Eve, the Sindh Health Department said in an official statement on Wednesday.
Aerial firing is a common but dangerous practice in Pakistan during joyous occasions, though it has led to several fatalities in the past. While celebratory gunfire is illegal, it remains difficult for police and state authorities to effectively enforce the law nationwide.
Police in Karachi announced robust security measures for New Year’s Eve at the popular Seaview area on Tuesday, which included deploying over 2,400 officers and staff to ensure public safety and maintain order during celebrations.
“Eleven people aged between 11-50 years, including two females, were injured in Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center,” the Sindh Health Department said. “Seven people aged between 18-31 years at Civil Hospital Karachi and 10 people aged 17-35 years [were injured] at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.”
According to data compiled by Karachi Police Surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed, 19 people were injured due to aerial firing in 2020, 11 in 2021, 20 in 2022, 40 in 2023 and 26 in 2024.
Karachi police confirmed the arrest of 12 individuals from different districts of the city for aerial firing and the confiscation of their weapons. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend others involved.
“So far, 12 suspects have been taken into custody, from whom weapons have also been recovered,” it said.
Several people have been injured in the past due to aerial firing incidents in Karachi on various occasions. Ninety-five people were injured due to aerial firing in the city on Aug. 14, 2024, when the nation celebrated its 78th Independence Day. Of the total number of people injured, 75 were males while 20 were females.
