On move to extend China-Pak Economic Corridor, India says its inherently unacceptable

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New
Delhi,
Aug
06:
India
on
Friday
strongly
opposed
efforts
by
Beijing
and
Islamabad
to
extend
the
China-Pakistan
Economic
Corridor
(CPEC),
saying
such
actions
would
be
“inherently
illegal”
and
“unacceptable”
as
the
project
passes
through
Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir
(PoK).

At
a
meeting
of
the
CPEC
Joint
Working
Group
(JWG)
last
month,
Pakistan
and
China
decided
to
welcome
interested
third
countries
to
join
the
flagship
project,
a
PTI
report
said.

“The
government
has
seen
reports
regarding
the
proposed
extension
of
the
so-called
China-Pakistan
Economic
Corridor.
Any
such
actions
by
any
party
directly
infringe
on
India’s
sovereignty
and
territorial
integrity,”
Minister
of
State
for
External
Affairs
M
Muraleedharan
said.

“Such
activities
are
inherently
illegal,
illegitimate
and
unacceptable,
and
will
be
treated
accordingly
by
India,”
he
said.

India’s
stand
on
CPEC
shows
its
‘insecurity’:
Pakistan

The
minister
was
replying
in
Lok
Sabha
to
a
question
on
whether
the
government
is
aware
of
the
possible
effect
on
India
if
the
CPEC
is
extended
to
Afghanistan.

To
a
query,
he
also
said
that
there
is
no
proposal
for
a
bilateral
trade
agreement
with
Afghanistan.

Following
the
CPEC
joint
working
group
meeting,
the
Ministry
of
External
Affairs
slammed
the
move
to
involve
third
countries
in
the
corridor.

Muraleedharan
said
India’s
position
on
CPEC
has
been
clear
and
consistent.

“It
passes
through
parts
of
the
Union
Territories
of
Jammu
and
Kashmir,
and
Ladakh
which
are
under
illegal
and
forcible
occupation
of
Pakistan
and
hence
impinges
on
the
issue
of
sovereignty
and
territorial
integrity
of
India,”
he
said.

“The
government
has
also
conveyed
to
the
Chinese
side
its
concerns
about
their
activities
in
areas
illegally
occupied
by
Pakistan
in
the
Union
Territories
of
Jammu
&
Kashmir
and
Ladakh
and
has
asked
them
to
cease
these
activities,”
the
minister
added.

Muraleedharan
said
India
is
of
firm
belief
that
connectivity
initiatives
must
be
based
on
universally
recognised
international
norms.

“It
must
follow
the
principles
of
openness,
transparency
and
financial
responsibility
and
must
be
pursued
in
a
manner
that
respects
the
sovereignty,
equality
and
territorial
integrity
of
other
nations,”
he
said.

The
minister
added
that
the
government
continues
to
“closely
monitor”
the
developments
in
Afghanistan,
including
the
evolving
security
situation
and
takes
all
necessary
measures
to
safeguard
our
national
interest.

Infringement
of
sovereignty:
India
opposes
China,
Pak
invite
to
third
countries
to
join
CPEC

To
a
separate
question
on
foreign
citizens
living
illegally
in
various
states
in
India,
Muraleedharan
said
there
is
no
accurate
estimate
of
it.

“As
illegal
migrants
try
to
enter
into
the
country
in
a
clandestine
and
surreptitious
manner,
there
is
no
accurate
estimate
of
the
total
number
of
such
illegal
infiltrators,”
he
said.

“Detection,
detention
and
deportation
of
such
illegal
infiltrators
is
a
continuous
process
which
is
taken
up
by
local
police
authorities
and
Bureau
of
Immigration,”
he
said.