An underground railroad run by activist and teacher Umer Muhammad Khan allows Uyghur Muslims to flee the Chinese genocide, however, the Pakistani government is reluctant to give refuge to these people owing to its diplomatic relations with China and the Chinese project CPEC.
What Happened: Khan has been helping dozens of families flee the Chinese persecution for a decade now, however, Pakistan is no more a sanctuary for the Uyghur Muslims. Under pressure from the Chinese government, Pakistan’s police are rapidly deporting Uyghurs back to China, and to the atrocities, they had sought refuge from. According to an investigative report published by Brent E. Huffman and verified by VICE news, Pakistani authorities have also begun collecting biometric data on all Uyghurs living in Pakistan, circulating questionnaires in houses in Islamabad to inquire about religious affiliation and family history. The procedure is being carried out to monitor the number of Uyghurs present in Pakistan and to devise ways to deport them back to China.
The Response: The Pakistani government’s inability to provide refuge to the devastated Uyghur Muslims has enraged many.