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No Chinese Troops in Gilgit: Pakistan
Rejecting as "fabricated" reports of presence of up to 11,000 Chinese troops in ***'s Gilgit- Baltistan area, Pakistan's envoy here has claimed that only a "humanitarian team" from China was in the region to assist the flood victims.
"The story is not true and totally fabricated," Pakistan's ambassador to China, Masood Khan, told the state-run 'Global Times' daily.
He was referring to a New York Times report which said that about 7,000 to 11,000 Chinese troops were deployed in the strategic Gilgit-Baltistan region, where Pakistan faced a state of rebellion from the local people.
Khan said there were no Chinese troops in the area, but added that "a humanitarian team" from China was currently there to help locals who have suffered due to the devastating floods.
The NYT report attributed the military presence in the region to China's plans to gain a "grip on the strategic area to ensure unfettered road and rail access to the Gulf through Pakistan."
About the NYT story, the Global Times said "the report obviously rattled nerves in India..."
This is the first time that the Chinese media carried the NYT report after it was published on August 28. However, there is no official Chinese reaction so far.
India on Monday said that it was making "independent verification" of the NYT report about presence of Chinese troops in Gilgit-Baltistan region and added that it would be a matter of "serious concern" if it turns out to be true.
Reacting to the NYT report, Zhao Gancheng, director of South Asia Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies ( SIIS), told the Global Times that the speculation in the report on Sino-Pakistan cooperation is senseless.
Read more: No Chinese troops in Gilgit, claims Pak's envoy to Beijing - Pakistan - World - The Times of India No Chinese troops in Gilgit, claims Pak's envoy to Beijing - Pakistan - World - The Times of India
Rejecting as "fabricated" reports of presence of up to 11,000 Chinese troops in ***'s Gilgit- Baltistan area, Pakistan's envoy here has claimed that only a "humanitarian team" from China was in the region to assist the flood victims.
"The story is not true and totally fabricated," Pakistan's ambassador to China, Masood Khan, told the state-run 'Global Times' daily.
He was referring to a New York Times report which said that about 7,000 to 11,000 Chinese troops were deployed in the strategic Gilgit-Baltistan region, where Pakistan faced a state of rebellion from the local people.
Khan said there were no Chinese troops in the area, but added that "a humanitarian team" from China was currently there to help locals who have suffered due to the devastating floods.
The NYT report attributed the military presence in the region to China's plans to gain a "grip on the strategic area to ensure unfettered road and rail access to the Gulf through Pakistan."
About the NYT story, the Global Times said "the report obviously rattled nerves in India..."
This is the first time that the Chinese media carried the NYT report after it was published on August 28. However, there is no official Chinese reaction so far.
India on Monday said that it was making "independent verification" of the NYT report about presence of Chinese troops in Gilgit-Baltistan region and added that it would be a matter of "serious concern" if it turns out to be true.
Reacting to the NYT report, Zhao Gancheng, director of South Asia Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies ( SIIS), told the Global Times that the speculation in the report on Sino-Pakistan cooperation is senseless.
Read more: No Chinese troops in Gilgit, claims Pak's envoy to Beijing - Pakistan - World - The Times of India No Chinese troops in Gilgit, claims Pak's envoy to Beijing - Pakistan - World - The Times of India