NEW DELHI: India has lodged a protest with Pakistan over the proposed construction of a dam in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, triggering off a fresh row with Pakistan and also China, which is collaborating on the hydroelectric project.
Taking note of the sudden surge of activity in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), New Delhi has also protested against Islamabad’s decision to rename and give autonomy to the northern areas, which India considers to be a part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir by “virtue of its accession in 1947”.
It is understood that Pakistan’s deputy high commissioner Riffat Masood was summoned to the external affairs ministry and handed over protest notes against the Bunji hydroelectric project, which India has pointed out is coming up in the Indian territory, and the order to rename the northern areas as Gilgit-Baltistan. A simultaneous protest was also lodged with the Pakistani foreign office.
As expected Pakistan dismissed India’s protests on both matters and denied India’s claim on PoK. This response was conveyed through diplomatic channels with the Pakistani foreign office “calling” in India’s deputy high commissioner Rahul Kulshreshth.
Even though the protest over the Bunji dam was lodged with Pakistan, the protest note is also aimed at sending a strong signal to Beijing. The irony of the situation has not been lost on New Delhi which has been reeling under Beijing’s bid to block an ADB loan for an irrigation project in Arunachal Pradesh on the grounds that it is on a disputed territory. As far as India is concerned, the Bunji project is coming up on Indian territory.
The issue is expected to add another irritant to Sino-Indian ties, even as New Delhi is set to take up the issue of recent Chinese incursions into India with Beijing at the upcoming flag meeting. Last month, Pakistan and China signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of the Bunji dam, which will have a capacity to generate 7,000 mw of electricity.
Taking note of the sudden surge of activity in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), New Delhi has also protested against Islamabad’s decision to rename and give autonomy to the northern areas, which India considers to be a part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir by “virtue of its accession in 1947”.
It is understood that Pakistan’s deputy high commissioner Riffat Masood was summoned to the external affairs ministry and handed over protest notes against the Bunji hydroelectric project, which India has pointed out is coming up in the Indian territory, and the order to rename the northern areas as Gilgit-Baltistan. A simultaneous protest was also lodged with the Pakistani foreign office.
As expected Pakistan dismissed India’s protests on both matters and denied India’s claim on PoK. This response was conveyed through diplomatic channels with the Pakistani foreign office “calling” in India’s deputy high commissioner Rahul Kulshreshth.
Even though the protest over the Bunji dam was lodged with Pakistan, the protest note is also aimed at sending a strong signal to Beijing. The irony of the situation has not been lost on New Delhi which has been reeling under Beijing’s bid to block an ADB loan for an irrigation project in Arunachal Pradesh on the grounds that it is on a disputed territory. As far as India is concerned, the Bunji project is coming up on Indian territory.
The issue is expected to add another irritant to Sino-Indian ties, even as New Delhi is set to take up the issue of recent Chinese incursions into India with Beijing at the upcoming flag meeting. Last month, Pakistan and China signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of the Bunji dam, which will have a capacity to generate 7,000 mw of electricity.
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