The poignant lead of Dawn’s June 17 editorial calling on Muslims wrapping up Haj rituals and celebrating Eid ul Zuha as well as “all people of conscience” to “remember the brutalised inhabitants of Palestine in these times of festivity” is heartrending and compels one to introspect.

The fact that anyone and everyone who matters in Pakistan has been expressing unconditional solidarity with the people of Gaza and newspapers have been continuously highlighting the piteous condition of Gaza’s unfortunate inhabitants upon whom a bloody war has been thrust is indeed praiseworthy. However, this impassioned display of concern and solidarity has one glaring drawback- it’s extremely selective and the stoic silence of Pakistani leaders, media, the clergy and civil society members on the plight of brutalised Muslims living elsewhere is deafening!

There is no outrage against the patently blasphemous so-called ‘sinicisation’ of Islam in China and Beijing’s institutionalised religious persecution of Xinjiang’s Uyghur Muslims. Apologists could cite lack of credible information for this omission. However, the truth is that despite being aware of the atrocities being committed on indigenous Muslims of Xinjiang, Islamabad [which tires to project itself as a messiah of downtrodden Muslims the world over], is so dependent on Beijing that it is scared to stand up for securing the religious rights of Uyghur Muslims.

Pakistan waxes eloquent on implicit adherence to Islamic principles and extols the virtues of the ummah, an Islamic concept that binds the whole community of Muslims worldwide together by ties of religion. So, it’s really shocking when not a tear is shed, nor a word of sympathy expressed for the brutalised people of........

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