Q. 44 Handing over of Gilgit Baltistan areas to China
RAJYA SABHA
QUESTION NO 44
ANSWERED ON 15.03.2012
SHRI PRAKASH KESHAV JAVADKAR
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to satate :-
(a) whether Government is aware of the media reports that Pakistan is considering handing over Gilgit-Baltistan area of Jammu and Kashmir, presently in the PoK, to China on lease of fifty years;
(b) in the perception of Government, in what manner the proposed lease alters the security and geo-political perception to India;
(c) the number of rivers flowing into India through or from the Gilgit-Baltistan area of Jammu and Kashmir; and
(d) Government’s response to it in the light of the status of the entire Jammu and Kashmir, including Gilgit-Baltistan area being Indian territory?
ANSWER: THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI S.M. KRISHNA)
(a) to (d) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (D) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.44 REGARDING “HANDING OVER OF GILGIT BALTISTAN AREA TO CHINA” FOR ANSWER ON 15.03.2012
(a) & (b) Government has seen media reports that Pakistan is considering a proposal to lease Gilgit-Baltistan region in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) to China for fifty years. Government has not seen any official statement or report by the Government of Pakistan in this regard. However, under the so called China-Pakistan “Boundary Agreement” of 1963, Pakistan illegally ceded 5,180 Sq. Kms. of Indian territory in POK to China. Government remains firm in its resolve to take all necessary steps to effectively safeguard India’s security and territorial integrity.
(c) No major river is flowing into India through or from the Gilgit-Baltistan area of Jammu and Kashmir.
(d) Government’s principled and consistent position is that the entire State of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and Pakistan has been in illegal occupation of parts of the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir. Government keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on India’s security and takes all necessary measures to safeguard it.
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Pakistan Occupied Kashmir
South Asia
