New Delhi has reportedly asked Beijing to immediately cease its ongoing work in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
According to a report, Colonel SD Goswami, Northern Command defence spokesman, said, “The government has conveyed its concerns to China…and asked them to cease such activities.”
Reuters
China has been working on the development of a 46-billion dollar economic corridor that would connect its Xinjiang region to Gwadar port in Pakistan’s south.
As part of the CPEC plan, China is upgrading roads, bridges and even hydro-power projects in PoK.
So important is this corridor to China that Beijing asked Islamabad to completely annex the Gilgit-Baluchistan region in PoK.
In fact China is completely rebuilding Pakistan improving even the railway lines and energy infrastructure.
One such energy project is the Jhelum-Neelum 970 MW Hydel power project being constructed in PoK since 2007.
WikimediaCommons
China’s intervention in PoK has increased significantly over the past few years with even the People’s Liberation Army troops found standing just across the LoC.
- In 2011, Chinese troops were first spotted across the LoC in PoK
- A twenty day standoff happened between PLA and Indian Army soldiers in 2013 at the Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sector on LAC where Chinese had infiltrated 19 kilometres deep into Indian territory. The standoff ended with Chinese going back to their original position.
- In 2015, PLA troops were spotted across the LoC in Kupwara district.
- In March 2016, the PLA troops were again spotted across the LoC.
Recently in September 2015, Indian soldiers dismantled a watch tower constructed by the Chinese PLA across the LAC at Burste in Depsang Plains.