PoK rail link: Pak says India’s concerns ‘irrelevant’

Pakistan on Thursday dismissed India’s concern over a proposed Pakistan-China rail link through the disputed Gilgit-Baltistan region in PoK,claiming that New Delhi had “no locus standi” in the matter. Abdul Basit,the Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman,dismissed India’s objections to the link through the disputed Gilgit-Baltistan region in the Karakoram range.

He told a weekly news briefing here that New Delhi has “no locus standi” in the matter and that its objections are “uncalled for and irrelevant”. The rail link is a matter of concern to India as it passes through some of the disputed areas forming part of PoK. According to experts,the rail link is part of plan by China to encircle India through cooperation with its “all weather” strategic partner.

India’s External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said in New Delhi that “we are closely watching what is happening”.

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Earlier,Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju had said the rail link was definitely a matter of concern.” But we are taking our counter measures and we are doing our own preparation,” Raju said.

Meanwhile,Beijing on Thursday said the Sino-Pak “strategic” partnership was not aimed against any third country. “China and Pakistan are strategic partners enjoying profound traditional friendship. We have shared deepening cooperation across the board,” Foreign office spokesman Qin Gang said at a press briefing.