Batting for China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), former Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti argued that the Union Territory should be a part of CPEC.
It is important for Kashmir’s future to be included in the CPEC said Mufti adding that J&K was part of the trade arena before 1947.
All our paths have been closed, said Mufti and said that J&K People’s Democratic Party (PDP) agenda is that the UT has to become a bridge of peace between India and Pakistan.
‘We should be part of CPEC’
This is not the first time that Mufti has batted for CPEC.
Earlier she had said that with terrorism on the rise in Kashmir, dialogue with Pakistan and stakeholders in Jammu & Kashmir was important to bring peace to the region.
If you can talk to China, why can’t you talk to Pakistan, Mufti questioned BJP.
She further said that her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed always wanted to see borders between India and Pakistan opened.
Let J&K become a bridge of peace between India and Pakistan, she had said.
In October, Mufti stoked controversy by parroting National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah’s views on China, saying China talks about Article 370 too and calling it disputed it has asked why it was made UT?
‘All our paths have been closed’
She further said that J&K came under international limelight after the abrogation of Article 370.
CPEC, the USD 64 billion flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative, is the brainchild of Chinese President Xi Jinping and it aims to connect China’s Xinxiang province to the Gwadar seaport through a network of roads, railways and pipelines to transport natural resources like cargo, oil, and gas.
India has opposed the CPEC saying it violates its territorial sovereignty.
In February this year, India had opposed ‘China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’ (CPEC) calling it “illegal” saying it passes through parts of the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh which are under illegal occupation of Pakistan. ( Times Now )
