There is a railway station ‘Zero Point’ on the Pakistani side opposite Munabao in Barmer Sector, which is around 10-20 metres from the International Border. Rail link from Munabao was closed in the wake of 1965 war but was re-opened in 2006.
‘According to reports, Pakistan Railways has recently undertaken expansion works at ‘Zero Point’ railway station and immigration office. There are media reports suggesting involvement of a Chinese company in construction activity’, the minister stated.
The minister did not go into details. It is however public knowledge that when the railway station was built in 2006 to coincide with the reopening of the Munabao-Khokhrapar line, it was built 150 meters inside the demarcated no man’s land. It was against international laws. In May 2009, a Chinese company carried out a survey of the area for locating the permanent station and anicllary buildings. The site finally selected is higher than the surrounding area; it will enable Pakistan to keep a direct watch on the Indian side and allow it to transport forces and ammunition right up to the zero line in the event of a conflict.
BSF has been taken up the matter with Pakistan Rangers during meetings at various levels. The point also featured during the Quarterly Meeting held on November 16, 2011 wherein it was reiterated by the Pakistani side that this construction has been undertaken to extend the existing platform and immigration office for better facilities to passengers, according to Ahmed.
China is Pakistan’s widely acknowledged all-weather friend. Islamabad has gone out of its way to cultivate Beijing with a view to cement its defenses vis-à-vis India; it has cultivated the United States as its main source for weapons. So much so, there is no novelty value or newness in the China-Pak ties.
More over, India and China have also moved far closer than one could have ever imagined in the late sixties. Today, China is a player of significance in India’s infrastructure, communications sector including. Both countries have also cemented trade ties as never before.
The point is there is no need to view the Chinese hand in pulling the Pakistani rail engine with concern.
But Chinese presence at the Zero Point falls under a different category. Munabao is a border area. And India has to be wary of any development across the border since it will have a bearing on its own security in the near to medium term even.
The Government is aware that China is developing infrastructure in the border regions across India, for instance, in Tibet, and in Xinjiang Autonomous Regions. The infrastructure China is developing includes Qinghai-Tibet railway line with proposed extension upto Xigaze and Nyingchi. It also has broad basing road and airport facilities in the areas opposite India.
The only way India can be prepared in the border areas is by matching the Chinese development on its side. Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed has said Delhi is fully alive to the situation and is conscious of the need to take development to the border villages.
“Government is giving careful and special attention to the development of infrastructure in the border areas opposite China in order to meet our strategic and security requirements and also to facilitate the economic development of these areas”, he told Parliament.
Since security and development are open ended, infrastructure should be developed in the border areas on a priority basis to a tight time schedule.
