IndiaPak may cede Gilgit-Baltistan to China to pay-off debts

Pak may cede Gilgit-Baltistan to China to pay-off debts

Date:

Gilgit Baltistan, Jun 23: A report has said that Pakistan may cede Gilgit Baltistan to China on lease to pay off its mounting debt.

Mumtaz Nagri, the chairman of the Karakoram Movement expressed fear that the isolated Gilgit Baltistan , a Pakistan occupied Kashmir region could become a future battleground for the powers to compete a report in the Al Arabiya Post said.

The ceding of Gilgit Baltistan which Pakistan illegally occupies would be a boon for China's expansion plans. It would like the region as it is on the trail of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Pakistan would however benefit greatly with such a deal as it faces a terrible economic crisis. This move would earn Pakistan a hefty lease of money and help it tide over the economic crisis.

This would however be a calculated risk for Pakistan as it risks angering the United States and could be denied the $3 billion bailout from the Monetary Fund (IMF). It could also further blacklist from getting funds from the IMF, World Bank and other global agencies, the report also said.

Even if Pakistan decides to go ahead with the decision, it would be met with local protests as the population already feels short changed by the way the CPEC has bypassed Gilgit Baltistan at Islamabad's behest.

The socio-economic conditions in Gilgit Baltistan are extremely poor. The region gets only two hours of power because the region is not part of Pakistan's national grid. On the other hand the US is no mood to quit the region as wants to prevent a possible Chinese expansion into South Asia. Instead the US may want an outpost of its own, the Al Arabiya Post report said.

“The US could have benefited in Afghanistan if Gilgit-Baltistan was in and Balochistan was independent,” Bob Lancia, a US Congress candidate for Rhode Island said according to the report. He also said that if Balochistan was an independent country, the US could have used it for supplying US forces in Afghanistan instead of depending on Pakistan.

Northlines
Northlines
The Northlines is an independent source on the Web for news, facts and figures relating to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and its neighbourhood.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Share post:

Popular

More like this
Related

Cong asks Irani to put forward 10-year ‘report card’

New Delhi, Mar 28: The Congress on Thursday accused...

MHA extends till June 30 validity of FCRA Registered NGOs

New Delhi, Mar 28 : The Union home ministry...

TMC’s Mahua Moitra to skip ED summons today, will campaign in her constituency

New Delhi, Mar 28: Trinamool Congress’ leader Mahua Moitra...

Nanakmatta Gurudwara Kar Sewa Pramukh killed, SIT formed to investigate

UTTARAKHAND, Mar 28: Uttarakhand Police Headquarters has formed a...