Their initial joy at the release of much-loved wives and mothers has faded because the women who’ve returned are like strangers. Since their release, the families of many of the women say they have become paranoid and fear of being reported on. Beijing “cannot afford international criticism of its policies in Xinjiang to spread throughout the Muslim world, especially in Pakistan”, China security expert Leibold explained. In recent years, China has strongly pushed its relationship with Pakistan, investing heavily in infrastructure projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. For its part, Pakistan has been reluctant to publicly join global condemnation of Beijing’s crackdown on Muslims in Xinjiang.

Source: Egypt Independent April 30, 2019 07:07 UTC