PoK locals up in arms against China & Pakistan's dam plots; thousands protest & sloganeer

People in Muzaffarab city of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Monday night protested opposing construction of mega-dams by Chinese firms on Neelum-Jhelum River. protesters took out a torch rally and chanted slogans like ''Darya Bachao, Muzaffarab Bachao" (Save River, Save Muzaffarab) Committee'' and "Neelum-Jhelum behne do, humein zinda rehne do" (let Neelum and Jhelum rivers flow, let us live).

Project expected to be completed by year 2026

According to media reports, over a thousand people from city and or parts of PoK attended rally. Recently, Pakistan and its 'all-wear friend' China signed agreements to construct Az Pattan and Kohala Hydropower Projects in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

Az Pattan Hydel Power Project of 700.7 megawatts of electricity as part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was signed on July 6, 2020. $1.54 billion projects will be sponsored by China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC). Kohala Hydroelectric Power Project which will be built on Jhelum River is roughly 7 km upstream of Az Pattan Bridge in Sudhanoti District of PoK and 90 km from Islamab, capital city of Pakistan, ANI reported. 

project expected to be completed by year 2026 will be sponsored by China Three Gorges Corporation, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Silk Ro Fund. Pakistan and China are jointly destroying natural resources of PoK and Gilgit Baltistan in wake of China Pakistan Economic Corridor. discontent in occupied territories is high against Pakistan and China.

'So-called China Pakistan Economic Corridor'

India has protested to China over CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Last week, in ir second annual strategic dialogue on Friday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi discussed Kashmir issue and progress on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor among a host of or issues.

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spokesperson in Ministry of External Affairs Anurag Srivastava said Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is an “integral and inalienable” part of India and that it expects parties concerned not to interfere in country’s internal matters. Srivastava reiterated India’s consistent position on so-called “China Pakistan Economic Corridor”.

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“India has repeatedly conveyed its concerns to both China and Pakistan on projects in so-called China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which are in territory of India that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan,” he said. “We resolutely oppose actions by or countries that change status quo in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and call on parties concerned to cease such actions,” Srivastava ded.

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(With agency inputs)