KARACHI -- As the Muslim holy month of Ramadan started in early May, news of a fasting ban imposed on Uighurs by the Chinese government went viral on social media in Pakistan. In response, some influential Pakistanis with sizable numbers of followers on social media heaped criticism onto China for its treatment of Uighurs and urged their government in Islamabad to confront Beijing over the matter.
Pakistan's government traditionally has championed the rights of Muslims around the world, most notably in Kashmir, Myanmar and the Palestinian territories. Separate rallies in support of Kashmiri and Palestinian Muslims are held annually in Pakistan. But the Pakistani government and the public at large have been indifferent to action taken against China's Uighur population.
