Pakistan Called Out For Double Standards

Pakistan is undergoing a tumultuous phase due to its obduracy over the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It has been snubbed by almost every global power, who have described the revocation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution as India’s internal matter. Pakistan is now running from pillar to post in order to drum up support. However, that support seems elusive.

In a recent interview to a private television channel, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan admitted that Islamabad cannot win a conventional war against India. He reiterated the nuclear threat and called for global attention on Kashmir. He had also warned the world, saying it would be responsible for the "catastrophic aftermath" if it fails to pay attention to India's nuclear arsenal. He added, he had informed the world that Pakistan does not want war, but at the same time, Pakistan cannot remain oblivious to the challenges posed to its security and integrity.

He also admitted that Islamabad is going to face a tough time next month when the international terror financing body, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) takes up the case whether to ‘blacklist’ Pakistan over the terror financing issue. In the interview, the Pakistan Prime Minister said the world in conspiring to break Pakistan’s economy. He also mentioned about his efforts to start talks with India.

This is far from the truth. India has consistently maintained, ever since the Pathankot air base attack in January 2016; that ‘terror and talks’ cannot go on hand-in-hand. In fact, New Delhi had on several occasions offered the olive branch to Pakistan. The Indian hand of friendship was always met with obstacles from Pakistan. Now, Islamabad’s empty rhetoric is there for all to see.

Islamabad has been isolated over the Kashmir issue due to its own machinations. It has aided, abetted, funded and trained various terrorist groups for almost three decades to carry on a proxy war in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Thousands of innocent Indians have lost their lives to due Pakistan’s cross border terrorism. Today, Pakistan cannot cry wolf over its failed attempts.

No sooner had the Pakistan Prime Minister finished his interview, he started facing questions from the Uyghur Muslim community of China’s Xinjiang province. The World Uyghur Congress came down heavily on the Pakistani Prime Minister over his "double standards" and turning a blind eye towards the issue concerning the persecution of Uyghur Muslims in China, sayingit is a matter of shame that Islamabad was silent and supporting Beijing's policy on the community.

A couple of months ago, international journalists had asked Mr. Khan about the Uyghur issue, but he said that he doesn't know and is not aware of it. Pakistan Prime Minister very well knows what the Chinese government is doing to Uyghur Muslims but he doesn't want to talk on this," the organisation's President Dolkun Isa said in Geneva.

Pakistan is one of the biggest violators of human rights and China is hiding the reality internationally, Mr. Isa further said.

Responding to China's claims that Uyghur detention camps were actually vocational training centres, the Uyghur activist said it was a "lie" as China is hiding things. Mr. Isa also added that the Pakistan Prime Minister brings up the Kashmir issue all the time but when it comes to the Uyghurs he closes his eyes and supports China's policy. This is double standards and a shame.

Mr. Imran Khan, who is desperately attempting to portray himself as a friend of the Kashmiri people, has come under fire from the Baloch people too. Just last week, during the session of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Baloch leaders had protested against the Imran Khan government’s actions in Balochistan. Pakistan is committing genocide and human rights violations in Balochistan, yet it comes to the international community with a facade of caring about human rights in Kashmir, Mehran Marri, a Baloch activist had said.

It appears that Pakistan’s woes are going to continue as it scores self-goals due to its double-speak.

Script: Kaushik Roy, AIR: News Analyst