India lodged strong protests with Pakistan and China over a proposed bus service scheduled to be launch on November 13 between the two nations from Lahore and Kashghar, a city in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China’s far west, through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), calling it a violation of “India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Reportedly the proposed bus facility is seen as an example of increasing ties between Pakistan and China, India has registered its protest over the fact that the route passes through Pok, which it maintains is an Indian territory.
In a response to the media queries Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson External Affairs Ministry, said, “We have lodged strong protests with China and Pakistan on the proposed bus service that will operate through Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.”
The spokesperson further said, “It is a government of India’s consistent and well-known position that the so-called China-Pakistan ‘boundary agreement’ of 1963 is illegal and invalid, and has never been recognized by the Government of India.”
“Therefore, any such bus service through Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir will be a violation of India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he added.
