Kashi shines as sun shines

*Click the Title above to view complete article on https://www.nation.com.pk/.

2023-12-31T19:57:00+05:00 Khawar Abbas Sandhu

Western media continued to spread propaganda and Xinjiang's Muslims took the lead in development. During visit to China in December 2023, we reached Kashgar to explore Xinjiang. Beautiful roads from airport to hotel, flowing and orderly traffic, high-rise buildings, a glimpse of local culture and cleanliness got a lot of attention. The faces of the Kashi people were telling that they had traveled in a few years from where it is now easy to get the uniqueness and progress like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

The Chinese believe in hard work and focus on results. They set the target and go. That is why the results are waiting for them.

All the propaganda about Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is so much against the facts and based on lies that it is like saying that the sun does not shine. Is there anyone who believes that the sun does not really shine? Xinjiang is not only developing, but the lifestyle of the citizens now seems to be above international standards.

All minorities especially Muslims are free in their religious worship. Crowds of people walking on streets, smiles on faces, rush and noise in markets, mosques opened, calls to prayer, children's mischief, women engrossed in their work, full glimpse of life, food stalls, abundance of fruits, Pomegranates were found in the markets and even on the dining tables, and above all, a beautiful atmosphere full of charm. The legs would stop again and again, the eyes would move around. Saw the Kashgar in daylight and also at night, walked on the streets, went shopping and wandering . When I told someone ,a Pakistani , his face would light up. Although there was a language barrier but there was not much difficulty in understanding and explaining.

What problems does the West have with China? Perhaps the West does not like the development of China, or it has a grudge against the developing Uyghur Muslims. In my view, West is afraid of the success of Chinese system, this system has a great ability to deal with difficulties. 

There is bitter realities in west. The West, where Muslim women face the ban on Hijab, the West says that Muslims in Xinjiang do not have the freedom to practice their religious slogans. In the western society, where the mosques are entered and bullets are fired at the worshipers, there is propaganda that Muslims in Kashgar cannot worship in mosque. In Europe, in the name of expression of opinion, the Holy Book of Muslims is desecrated and the religion of Islam is insulted, they say that Muslims are treated badly in China. The west , who remain silent on the genocide in Kashmir, Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan etc forget that China's stand for Kashmiri, Palestinian, Iraqi and Afghan Muslims is very clear.

It is surprising that many countries in the West are benefiting from China's project, why they do not see the Belt and Road Initiative, which has provided various projects and jobs including infrastructure to Muslims around the world, especially in the backward Muslim regions of Asia and Africa.

CPEC in Pakistan and investments of around $400 billion in Iran are proof that China is investing heavily in stabilizing Muslim states. The United States, United Kingdom and European countries (G7) announced a project to counter the Belt and Road Initiative . Has this project benefited any Muslim state? The fact is that this project of G7 did not go beyond the papers. And then to divert attention from this, another project of India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor was announced in the Group 20 meeting in September 2023 in India.

Attempts by world powers to bring the project in comparison to Belt and Road Initiative are nothing but a distraction from Chinese project . It is China that is working for the betterment of everyone living on earth, freed from the shackles of race, caste, religion and belief. The past is a witness that the West has never started any BRI-style project to change the condition of Muslims, and no chance in the near future either. China, on the other hand, is investing billions of dollars to raise not only Muslim regions, but also non-Muslim states, especially countries where the US and its allies have imposed wars and destroyed infrastructure or are locked in sanctions like Afghanistan and Iran, even in Palestine.

China has made Xinjiang the hub of BRI, where record growth has taken place in a few years. Reconstruction of the new city of Kashgar started in 2009 after the 2008 earthquake. The central government established a special economic zone in Kashgar in May 2010.

The government of China allowed the birth of one child to control its population, but did not apply this law to minorities, encouraged them to increase their offspring by having three children.

China has developed every aspect of life in Xinjiang to raise the standard of living. Clean water supply, agriculture, infrastructure, employment opportunities created.

China has made Xinjiang the hub of BRI, where record growth has taken place in a few years. Reconstruction of the new city of Kashgar started in 2009 after the 2008 earthquake.

The central government established a special economic zone in Kashgar in May 2010. Kashgar has geographical advantages, it connects with five countries and is close to three others. 

Kashgar enjoys geographic advantages in that it connects with five countries and is close to three others, which meant it was an important rest house on the Silk Road in ancient times and is now a significant stage in the Silk Road economic belt and the starting point of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. In 2017 some 28.1 billion yuan ($4.16 billion)had been invested in the development zone and its import and export volume reached $1.8 billion.

In May 2020, a drinking water safety project was completed in Payzawat County. With the support of CPC Central Commettee , a 1,827-km pipeline network began transporting water from glacier to residents across the county. Xinjiang executed more than 1,400 drinking water projects, solving or improving the problem of safe drinking water for 1.52 million rural residents, including those living in desert hinterlands and remote alpine areas.

This Payzawat county is rich in the cultivation plum, which not only fulfills a major part of the country's needs, but also earns foreign exchange from exports. Plum is a major driver of the county's economy.

Among the famous places of Kashgar is the Id Kah Mosque located in the center of the city, which is the largest one in China. Met the prayer leader Mamat Juma , hugged him and chatted. Contentment on his face, fluency in conversation, cheerful tone and good manners were evident.

Thus, the desire to visit the 581-year-old and historical mosque was also fulfilled. I performed two rakat prayers in the mosque, which presented before Allah as a thanks . There is also an 18 meter high statue of Mao Zedong. Late at night in Kashgar, my birthday spreads colors of happiness. I express this happiness in the name of Pakistan-China friendship.

Xinjiang's GDP has improved significantly. In 2022, the gross domestic product (GDP) of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China amounted to approximately 1.77 trillion yuan (US$263 billion), compared to about 1.63 trillion yuan in the previous year, and over 854.2 billion yuan (about 119.8 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2023, up 5.1 percent year on year, according to local authorities.

Economic growth has been fueled by to discovery of the abundant reserves of coal, oil, gas as well as the China Western Development policy introduced by the State Council to boost economic development in Western China. China has made Xinjiang a role model for the rest of the world by developing it in every sector . Now any kind of propaganda is just a waste of time.

View More News