THE news from Xinjiang is not good for Pakistan, as China, our closest ally, has claimed extremists trained here are responsible for two deadly attacks in the restive region. At least 19 people were killed in the recent attacks in Kashgar. Chinese officials claim the suspects received training in camps run by the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, a Uighur militant outfit reportedly linked to Al Qaeda. Uighur opposition groups in the West have contested the Chinese claim. But if there is indeed a link to elements within Pakistan, it would not be surprising. Though it is believed that Etim has been significantly weakened, hard-core militants are still said to shuttle between China and Pakistan as Xinjiang shares a border with this country. In the past leaders of the group have been eliminated inside Pakistan. A US drone strike in North Waziristan reportedly killed Etim chief Abdul Haq in 2010, while the movement’s earlier head Hassan Mahsum was killed by the Pakistan army in 2003.

The Turkic Muslim Uighur people have genuine grievances against the Chinese state; due to the influx of Han Chinese they feel they are being turned into a minority in their own land and that their culture is under attack. The region saw deadly ethnic violence between the Han and Uighur communities in 2009 in which nearly 200 people were killed. While a nationalist movement exists, Etim espouses secession from China.

Any community with grievances against the state of which it is a part has the right to demand its rights. The Uighurs are no exception. However, the moment this indigenous movement starts attracting external support — such as from Islamic militants in Pakistan — there is significant cause for concern. This development reflects the fact that over the years Pakistan has allowed its territory to be used as a staging ground for religious extremists of all stripes. The Foreign Office has offered Beijing “full support” against Etim. It will be taken more seriously if action is taken on the ground to ensure that Etim is being denied access to training camps in Gilgit-Baltistan and Fata.