“Gilgit historically part of Gurez, DPR for long-awaited Gurez Tunnel to be announced soon, calls people across LoC “brothers separated by a line”
Tauseef Ahmad
Bandipora, June 9: Gurez MLA Nazir Ahmad Gurezi on Tuesday condemned the recent civilian killings in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), saying the incident reflects the hardships faced by people living across the Line of Control (LoC).
Speaking with the media MLA Nazir Ahmad Khan accused Pakistan of undermining the interests of the region by allowing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to pass through Gilgit-Baltistan.
He said the people on both sides of the LoC share deep historical, cultural and familial ties and are “brothers separated by a line.” He expressed concern over the loss of civilian lives and called for greater attention to the welfare and aspirations of the people living in the region.
The National Conference leader said Gilgit-Baltistan, through which key CPEC projects pass, is part of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir and alleged that Pakistan had effectively handed over strategic control of the region to China through the corridor project.
Highlighting the strategic importance of north Kashmir, Gurezi said Gurez occupies a critical position from the defence and security perspective and remains one of India’s most important border regions.
Welcoming the recent announcement regarding the proposed Bandipora-Gurez National Highway, he thanked Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for prioritising infrastructure development in the remote frontier district. He said the project would improve connectivity, strengthen the local economy and create new opportunities for tourism and trade in both Bandipora and Gurez.
Gurezi also expressed confidence that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the long-awaited Gurez tunnel project would be floated soon. He said the tunnel would provide all-weather connectivity to the valley and hoped the project would be completed by 2029, transforming the region’s economic and strategic landscape.
