NEW DELHI: After frequent allegations of incursions in Ladakh area, Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops have been spotted at forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) on the Pakistani side of Kashmir, ringing alarm bells in the security grid, Press Trust of India said on Sunday.

It said the army had spotted the presence of senior PLA officials at the forward posts opposite Nowgam sector in North Kashmir after which some intercepts of Pakistani army officers suggested that the Chinese troops have come to create some infrastructure along the LoC, sources in the know of development told PTI.

It said although the army had officially maintained complete silence on the issue it was constantly updating various intelligence agencies about the alleged presence of PLA troops along the LoC.

The Chinese troops were first spotted in the later part of last year and ever since their presence was witnessed opposite Tangdhar sector as well, PTI said. In this area, Chinese government-owned China Gezhouba Group Company Limited has been building Neelum-Jhelum 970MW Hydel project, it said.

The hydel project is being built in response to India’s Kishanganga power project being built in Bandipore of North Kashmir. The Indian project is designed to divert water from the Kishanganga River to a power plant in the Jhelum River basin and will have an installed capacity of 330MW, according to the report.

Construction on the project began in 2007 and is expected to be completed this year.

The intercepts also suggested that Chinese PLA would be digging some tunnels in Leepa Valley, located in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, to build an all-weather road which would serve as an alternate route to reach Karakoram Highway.

PTI said the visit by PLA officials is seen by Indian experts as part of Beijing’s $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor under which Gwadar port is linked to Chinese Xinjiang province through Karakoram highway, an area India considers to be under illegal occupation of China.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2016

Opinion

Editorial

Hasty transition
Updated 05 May, 2024

Hasty transition

Ostensibly, the aim is to exert greater control over social media and to gain more power to crack down on activists, dissidents and journalists.
One small step…
05 May, 2024

One small step…

THERE is some good news for the nation from the heavens above. On Friday, Pakistan managed to dispatch a lunar...
Not out of the woods
05 May, 2024

Not out of the woods

PAKISTAN’S economic vitals might be showing some signs of improvement, but the country is not yet out of danger....
Rigging claims
Updated 04 May, 2024

Rigging claims

The PTI’s allegations are not new; most elections in Pakistan have been controversial, and it is almost a given that results will be challenged by the losing side.
Gaza’s wasteland
04 May, 2024

Gaza’s wasteland

SINCE the start of hostilities on Oct 7, Israel has put in ceaseless efforts to depopulate Gaza, and make the Strip...
Housing scams
04 May, 2024

Housing scams

THE story of illegal housing schemes in Punjab is the story of greed, corruption and plunder. Major players in these...