“India has every reason to be alarmed by the Pakistan–China alliance, which has emerged as a threat to their neighbour and democracy in the region,” a top US lawmaker stated today.
This statement holds importance as China has emerged as an instrumental and steady ally for Pakistan over the last few years. With the launching of several developmental projects and with an investment of over $50 billion over the BRI project of Border and Road Initiative. The CPEC, launched in 2015, is a planned network of roads, railways and energy projects linking China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with Pakistan’s Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea.
“India has every reason to be alarmed by this new cooperation and coordination between China and Pakistan. Pakistan, who are immersed and its leaders are immersed in radical Islam and terrorism, not only to terrorise their neighbours but to terrorise their own populations into submission,” the lawmaker said.
“China has also blocked India’s move to designate Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad chief and Pathankot terror attack mastermind Masood Azhar as a global terrorist by the United Nations. The Pakistan-China alliance is hostile to the basic tenants of democracy and hostile to its neighbours,” Congressman Dana Rohrabacher said during a Congressional hearing.
With the upcoming elections in Pakistan, the ties with India will get affected. Pakistan’s powerful military which has ruled for much of the nation’s history has faced accusations during the campaign for the seat of power.
Responding to questions, Senior Bureau Official for South and Central Asian Affairs, Alice Wells told members of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee for Asia and the Pacific that ‘…of late there have been popular protests against the disappearances against staged encounters in Pakistan…’
“This is very much a leading part of political dialogue right now in Pakistan, the rule of law and the relationship of the political establishment to its people,” Wells added.