GILGIT/GENEVA:
Anger is rising in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir(Azad Kashmir) over both Pakistan and China exploiting their resources in a reckless manner for selfish economic gain.
T
he residents are strongly opposing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as it has failed to provide any tangible benefits to them.
China is investing over 40 billion dollars for its ambitious 3,000-km-long economic corridor that will link western China to southern Pakistan through a network of roads, railway lines and pipelines.
The project is being touted as bringing about a spectacular socio-economic change in the region, but alienated residents currently feel that both China and Pakistan are past masters in lies and deceit, as before firming up the project, all stakeholders were not consulted.
"People want that at least they should be informed about the project, be taken into confidence so that they get to know what all benefits they will get from this project. We fear that this should not happen as if we sit idle and only count the number of trucks coming from China side and not benefit even a bit," said Abdul Rehman Bukhari.
Pakistan, which suffers from a huge power crisis, draws its electricity mostly from Gilgit-Baltistan, but ironically none of the power projects have presence in the region - thus depriving Gilgit of potential royalties.
Activists and locals have raised concerns that CPEC project will create a huge ecological imbalance. Locals are dejected as presence of Chinese workers in the region has left them without jobs.
The CPEC is being seen as a sheer attempt to exploit the resource-rich region.
"They are constructing 60 economic zones as per the CPEC project, but none of these zones exist in Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmiri. The CPEC will pass through these areas, but they are only constructing an army headquarter in Diamer for the security of the corridor. But out of $40 million to be spent on the project, there is no investment in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir," said Mohd Naeem Khan, leader of the Kashmir National Party.
China has its economic interest in disputed Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir region. It is engaged in construction, ranging from dams and highways to ports.
Locals in Gilgit took to streets protesting against growing Chinese presence in Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir, reported news agency ANI. People got together and took out a march raising slogans portraying an elevation in resentment over the situation.
Recently, protests were witnessed in Pakistan occupied Kashmir as locals in Neelum valley came out against rigged elections that took place on July 21. The protesters burnt Pakistani flag and clashed with the police.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s party PML-N had won 31 out of 41 seats in the elections. Last year in July, India has taken strong objection to Pakistan’s plan of holding elections in the Gilgit-Baltistan region alleging that it was an attempt to “camouflage its illegal occupation of the area.”
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...mir-Gilgit-Baltistan/articleshow/53489167.cms
