As Pak, China Talk Kashmir, India Raises Concern Over 'Corridor' In PoK

Following a request by Pakistan, China has asked for a closed door UN meeting

India on Tuesday rejected the remarks of Pakistan and its all-weather ally China on Kashmir, where they contended that Kashmir is a "dispute left from history" and the issue should be "peacefully resolved based on the UN Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements."

"We reject the reference to Jammu and Kashmir in the joint statement issued by China and Pakistan after the recent visit of Chinese Foreign Minister. J&K is an integral part of India," foreign ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

India, he said, has consistently expressed concerns to both China and Pakistan on the projects in so-called "China Pakistan Economic Corridor", which is in the territory of India that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan since 1947.

China voiced its "serious concern" after the government's move to end the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate it into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Last month, following a request by Pakistan, China has asked for a closed door UN meeting. But it stood isolated with Pakistan as all member nations - including UK and the US - agreed that the change in Jammu and Kashmir's status was an internal matter for India.

Over the next weeks, India had taken a tough stand. Union defence minister Rajnath Singh said bilateral talks with Pakistan, if any, would be on Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, the territory under Pakistan's control since it invaded the state in 1947.

"If talks are held with Pakistan it will now be on PoK (Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir)," Mr Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

And during a visit to China, foreign minister S Jaishankar had sent out warning signals, saying the two nations should "ensure that it was important that differences between us, if any, should not become disputes".

On Tuesday, reflecting the government's stand, Raveesh Kumar said, "India is resolutely opposed to any actions by other countries to change the status quo in Pakistan occupied J&K.  We call on the parties concerned to cease such actions."

India and Pakistan are expected to face off on Tuesday over Jammu and Kashmir at the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva, Switzerland. Pakistan, which has so far been unsuccessfully flagging the government's move on Jammu and Kashmir at various international forums, has announced that it will speak on the matter.