Pakistan conspires to settle retired soldiers, labourers in PoK to change demography of the region

New Delhi: Pakistan has hatched a conspiracy to change demography in POK (Pak Occupied Kashmir) by settling large numbers of retired Pakistani soldiers in that region, besides allowing labourers engaged with China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to settle there, according to security agencies. 

"The demographic profile of PoK has already been changed by settling ex Pak army soldiers from its Punjab province. Due to ongoing CPEC projects, a huge area of public and private land in the PoK has been given free of coast to Chinese companies. This is worrisome," said an official who is privy to Pak activities in PoK.

According to reports, a huge influx of Pakistani labourers from outside PoK has been seen from the past few months mainly because of the ongoing construction works of Chinese companies. Pak government has already settled them in many areas of PoK very secretly.

AK Mahapatra, Professor of International Studies of JNU, told Zee News that Pakistan is scared of Indian action of abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir last year. Pakistan is suspicious that in future India may recapture PoK.

"Pakistan is scared of Indian decision or abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir state last year. Pakistan is suspicious that India may launch action to recapture PoK in the future. This is the reason Pakistan is conspiring to change the PoK's demography. There was a lot of protest in PoK last weak due to Pakistan's decision to shift coronavirus patients to PoK from different areas of Pakistan. PoK people are unhappy with Pak for their biased attitude towards them. The fear of losing PoK in the future could be reason that Pakistan is trying to change POK's demography, said AK Mahapatra, Professor of International Studies of JNU. 

According to the report of security agencies, Pakistan is also giving land to several Chinese companies engaged in the work of CPEC creating resentment among PoK residents.

"In the coming days, China and Pakistan will be even closer. China is constantly supporting Pakistan on Kashmir, while US and western countries questioned China's role for spreading coronavirus. India should take tough measures against the Chinese companies engaged in various projects of CPEC in PoK. The government should put a ban on these companies," Profesor Mahapatra added.

A spokesman of the Chinese Permanent Mission to the UN, rejecting Indian media reports that China, during its presidency of the Security Council in March, had ignored Pakistan’s call for urgent consideration of the situation in J&K, said that Beijing’s position on the issue remains unchanged. “The Kashmir issue is a dispute left from history and should be properly and peacefully resolved based on the Charter of the UN Security Council resolutions," he added.

On Thursday, India strongly rejected remarks on Jammu and Kashmir by the Chinese permanent mission to the United Nations asserting that the Union Terroririty 'has been' and shall continue to be an integral part of India.

India's External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, "We reject the reference to Jammu and Kashmir in a statement made by the spokesperson of the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations. China is well aware of India’s consistent position on this issue. The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir has been, is and shall continue to be an integral part of India."

"Issues related to J&K are internal matter to India. It is, therefore, our expectation that other countries, including China, would refrain from commenting on matters that are internal affairs of India and respect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We also expect China to recognise and condemn the scourge of cross-border terrorism that affects the lives of the people of India, including in J&K," Srivastava added.

India has already stated that it will take up the issue with China to expose Pakistan's conspiracy to change the demography of POK besides its interference in that region.