BEIJING: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday said Pakistan has eliminated all members of the Uighur militant group the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) from its territory, but must remain vigilant to ensure they don't return.
China blames ETIM for carrying out attacks in its far western region of Xinjiang, home to the Muslim Uighur people, although many foreign experts doubt the group's existence in a cohesive group.
China has long urged Islamabad to weed out what it says are militants from Xinjiang, who are holed up in a lawless tribal belt, home to a lethal mix of militant groups, including the Taliban and Al Qaeda.
"We believe they're all eliminated," Khawaja Asif told reporters on the sidelines of a security forum. "I think there (were) a small number in tribal areas, they're all gone or eliminated. There are no more there."
It is just as much in Pakistan's interests as China's to fight Uighur militants, Asif said, denying there was any difference of opinion between Beijing and Islamabad on Pakistan's efforts to tackle the problem.
Also read: Pakistan says "almost all" Uighur militants eliminated
"The fight against ETIM is our own fight. It's not only China's fight. It's a joint fight against ETIM, between Pakistan and China, so there is absolutely no difference of opinion on the elimination of ETIM from our tribal areas," he added. "We have to be vigilant for a long time that this menace, this infection, does not return."
Some Xinjiang government officials have said they believe Pakistan is not doing enough to prevent Uighurs from travelling there to become radicalised.
Hundreds have died in unrest in Xinjiang in the past few years. Exiles and activists say Chinese controls on the religion and culture of the Uighur people is more a cause of the violence than well-organised militant groups.
China and Pakistan call each other "all-weather friends" and their close ties have been underpinned by long-standing wariness of their common neighbour, India, and a desire to hedge against United States influence across the region.
China and Pakistan are getting ready to finalise a deal for China to sell eight submarines to Pakistan, Asif said, in what could be one of China's largest overseas weapons sales once it is signed.
"It's moving smoothly, it's going ahead," he said. "We are at the final stage. I think it won't take very long."
Asif urges international community to take notice of abuses in Kashmir, Palestine
Addressing a security and defense forum in Beijing Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif urged the international community to take notice of 'human rights violations in India-held Kashmir and Palestine', according to a report published on the Radio Pakistan website.
He also expressed regret that the promises made by the world community for the resolution of outstanding disputes of Kashmir and Palestine were not fulfilled.
Appreciating the role of China for peace and stability in the region, Asif said Pakistan condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and said that operation Zarb-e-Azb launched against terrorists is yielding positive results.
Also read: China to build four submarines in Karachi
