Shut shop in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, India tells China

India has formally asked China to stop the construction activities on the other side of Line of Control (LoC) in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

This follows reports of China being involved in construction and upgradation of numerous roads, bridges and hydro power projects in PoK. The Chinese links with Pakistan through PoK have lent credence to the Sino-Islamabad nexus, sparking security concerns for India.

"The government has conveyed its concerns to China...and asked them to cease such activities," said Colonel SD Goswami, defence spokesman at Udhampur-headquartered Northern Command.

China's Gezhouba Group Company Ltd has been building a Jhelum-Neelum 970MW hydel power project in PoK since 2007. The project is likely to be complete this year.

China is also constructing an all-weather road, connecting Karakoram Highway with Gilgit-Baltistan, and is also involved in a 46-billion dollar China-Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC), that will also pass through Karakoram Highway.

In 2012, Indian Army spotted Chinese engineers, technical staff and other people in civvies on the other side of LoC in PoK amid reports that Pakistan was allowing China to use some of its occupied areas for military purposes.

The issue had then rocked the Parliament after reports suggested that Pakistan had "leased out" the land to China for military purposes, besides allowing them to keep a watch on India.

Early this year, People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops were spotted at the forward posts on the other side of the LoC in PoK. Indian army spokesman, however, was quick to deny such reports then.

This was not the first time that Chinese troops or engineers have been spotted in PoK. In 2011, Pakistan stationed Chinese troops on the LoC in PoK, sending alarm bells ringing among the Indian army, guarding the porous border line, which is often used by Pakistani army to send in militants into Kashmir. The PLA troops were also spotted in 2015, opposite Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district.

Colonel Goswami also denied any incursions by the Chinese troops into Indian territory along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the cold desert of Ladakh.

"There is no commonly delineated LAC between India and China. There are areas along the border including areas in Ladakh where India and China have differing perception of LAC. Due to both sides undertaking patrolling upto their perception of the LAC, transgressions do occur," he said.

The defence spokesman noted that the government regularly takes up any transgression along LAC with the Chinese side through established mechanisms including flag meetings, border personnel meetings, bilateral working mechanism for consultation and coordination on the India-China border affairs and diplomatic channels.

In September 2015, the two armies were engaged in a bitter standoff after Indian troops dismantled a watch tower constructed by the PLA at Burste in Depsang Plains on the LAC.

In April, 2013, Indian Army and PLA were again engaged in a major face-off after the Chinese troops crossed 19 kilometres deep into Indian territory at Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sector on LAC and set up posts. The standoff lasted for 20 days, and ended on May 5, 2013, when troops from both sides withdrew to the pre-incursion positions.

India shares a 3,488-km border with China while J&K shares 646 km of LAC with China. J&K is the only state in the country which shares its borders with both Pakistan and China.