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

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

Project expected to be completed by the year 2026

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

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

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

'So-called China Pakistan Economic Corridor'

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

READ | Lifebuoy extends cricket association beyond Pakistan team with CPL 2020 sponsorship

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

READ | Anderson stranded on 599, Pakistan digging in to save test

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

READ | Pakistan, China remain human rights violators, FCO raises concern

READ | India exposes Pakistan's '5 big lies' at UN; 'biggest sponsor of cross-border terrorism'

(With agency inputs)