Pakistan

India expresses concern over Sino-Pak rail link

India has expressed “concern” over regional power China’s plans to establish a rail link with friendly neighbour...

Express July 08, 2010

India has expressed “concern” over regional power China’s plans to establish a rail link with friendly neighbour Pakistan through the Karakoram ranges, Online news agency reported on Wednesday.

“It is definitely a matter of concern [for India]. But we are taking counter measures and we are making our own preparations,” Indian State Minister for Defence MM Pallam Raju told reporters in New Delhi.

According to the Press Trust of India (PTI), he was responding to a question on Chinese plans to build the rail link to Pakistan and reach the Arabian Sea via Gilgit-Baltistan region in Azad Kashmir.

Raju said that both China and Pakistan had made it “very apparent” that they were “working closely together and cooperating closely” on defence and strategic issues.

China has already built a rail line up to the Indian borders along the Tibetan plateau and now the plan is to have a rail link to Pakistan and reach the Arabian Sea. Media reports have suggested that a memorandum of understanding for the rail link will be signed between Beijing and Islamabad soon.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesperson Abdul Basit told The Express Tribune that India has no locus in this matter as this was a bilateral issue, which did not concern India

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (5)

SKChadha | 13 years ago | Reply Ali you are correct, expression of apprehensions by India or Pakistan is not an offensive move against either side. It also helps the nation having concern to know third party's view point and accordingly set his future business strategy? Yes, we do not consider Pakistan itself as terrorist and this is the precise reason that India is on negotiating table. However, the statements emanating from Pakistani establishment/s (as there are many) suggest overt and covert support to such State/ Non-state actors which is the main cause of mistrust.

Ali | 13 years ago | Reply @Masood....they also disapproved Brazil's selling of anti-radiation missiles to Pakistan in 2008. The Brazilian defense minister (Jobim) later had to come up and say "Brazil negotiates with Pakistan, not with terrorists."

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SKChadha | 13 years ago | Reply My simple question to Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesperson Abdul Basit is that whether Pakistan considers ‘Azad Kashmir’ as territory of Pakistan? If Yes, then is not that its entire submissions in UN are incorrect and Pakistan is just an aggressor in Kashmir? And if not, then under which international law they are negotiating deal with China for so called ‘Azad Kashmir’? My question to Masood Hassan Raja is that how India concern is affecting the strength and stability of Pakistan? When Pak Government itself claims that the territory is ‘Azad Kashmir’. As regards to 1971 please read Hamid Mir’s editorial analysis in Dawn as to “who broke Pakistan” at http://www.thenews.com.pk/editorial_detail.asp?id=169180 . Please also read the excerpts of General Yahya Khan’s speech at about 5.45 pm declaring war and attacking India in December, 1971. Mr. Raja mentality is judged when international terror dossiers are termed as ‘Just Literature’ by a foreign secretary of the country from where terror is emanating, Is it not? The concern of India as to the territory of PHK is not ill founded as this territory belongs to India under valid documents of accession and sooner Pakistan vacate it is better for aspirations of Kashmiri.

Masood Hassan Raja | 13 years ago | Reply Strong and stable Pakistan has never been in India's interest.New Delhi never missed any opportunity to harm Pakistan.It armed Mukti Bhani terrorists in 1971 to disintegrate Pakistan.It nuclearized South Asia in 1974 to impose its hegemny over Pakistan. Indian leadership have double standrads.If they sign nuclear deal with U.S,France,Canada and Russia is fine but if China provides nuclear power plants to Pakistan is not acceptable to New Delhi. Previously they raised fingure on Chinese technical assistance for Gawadar port. Recently they objected on Washington for supplying three F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.Intrestingly they also propested Islamabad against cautions of Pak jawans at Wagah border's flag raising cermoney. It all shows that India is a big country with small mentailty.

SS | 13 years ago | Reply they will always have problems with any good development taking place in pakistan. somebody tell them to stay away.

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