Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir are part of Pakistan: Pak minister

Islamabad, Jun 24: Amid India's objections to the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project passing through PoK, Pakistan has claimed that Gilgit- Baltistan and Kashmir were its part and not disputed territories.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, speaking in the National Assembly yesterday about India's objection to the corridor, said Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir were part of Pakistan and not disputed territories.

Pakistan has already rejected Indian objections that the planned corridor passed though "a disputed territory", Dar was quoted as saying by Dawn news. "What disputed territory," Dar angrily asked as he cited the expected economic benefits of the corridor and said, "Gilgit-Baltistan is part of Pakistan."

He also claimed that PoK was part of Pakistan. Part of the 3,000 km corridor linking Pakistan's Gwadar port with Kashgar in China's north-western autonomous region of Xinjiang will pass through the Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Last month, India had raised with China its concerns over huge Chinese investments in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

During his visit to Pakistan in April, Xi had pledged assistance of USD 46-billion to build a strategic economic corridor through the PoK.

PTI