Pak dismisses India's protest over self-governance package

Rezaul H Laskar

Islamabad, Sep 11 (PTI) Pakistan Friday dismissed
India's protest over its decision to construct a power plant
with Chinese help in Bunji in Northern Areas and to implement
a self-governance package in the region which New Delhi says
is "illegally occupied" by Islamabad.

It also rejected India's claim that Jammu and Kashmir
is an integral part of its territory.

A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry said
Pakistan dismisses India's protest over its reform package for
Northern Areas and the decision to construct a power plant
with Chinese help in the region.

"The government of Pakistan also rejects the Indian
claim that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.
Pakistan's position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is based
on relevant UN resolutions," the statement said.

The statement was issued after India's Deputy High
Commission Rahul Kulshreshth was "called" to the Foreign
Office by Director General (South Asia) Afrasiab Mehdi Hashmi
to "emphasise that Pakistan rejects the Indian protest as the
government of India has no locus standi in the matter".

Earlier in the day, the External Affairs Ministry in
New Delhi handed over two protest notes to Pakistan's Deputy
High Commission in New Delhi on the Gilgit-Baltistan
(Empowerment and Self-Governance) Order of 2009, which seeks
to implement an autonomy package for the Northern Areas, and
the construction of the Bunji dam.

President Asif Ali Zardari recently ratified the
Gilgit-Baltistan (Empowerment and Self-Governance) Order,
under which the Northern Areas have been renamed
Gilgit-Baltistan. The package was earlier approved during a
cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

The signing of a memorandum of understanding on
building the 7,000 MW hydro-power project at Bunji was
described by Pakistani officials as the "centrepiece" of
Zardari's recent visit to China in August. PTI RHL
PMR