China to Take Over Pok?

India should be assertive and proactive to claim the strategically vital parts of Kashmir 'illegally' occupied by Pakistan where China has increased its footprints leading to fears that Beijing may take over the territory by 2020, according to a report.


The report by New Delhi think tank Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis says China's growing footprint in the region had added another strategic dimension to the discourse on the territory that includes Northern Areas, also called Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

'These realities are certain to impinge on India's long-term security interests and therefore it is incumbent upon Indian policy makers to adopt a pro-active approach towards PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) which is an integral part of India,' it says.

The report alleges that the Karakoram Highway (KKH) connecting Pakistan with China through Pakistani Kashmir has been used for the clandestine transfer of nuclear material from Beining to Islamabad.

'That this has multiple strategic implications for regional security, especially that of India, has been underscored,' it states.

The 1,280-km-long highway connects Havelian rail-head near Abbottabad in Pakistan with Kashgar in Xinjiang region of China. It was built in 1978 with Chinese assistance.

Detailing Chinese developmental projects in Pakistani Kashmir, the report says Chinese companies were working on a number of hydel projects, including Neelum-Jhelum, Gomal Zam and the reconstruction of Mangla dam.

The report citing Pakistan media alleges that the joint power projects signed between China and Pakistan during President Asif Ali Zardari's visit in 2009 were 'not transparent' as 'often Chinese companies were awarded contracts without open bidding.