Pakistan, China launch border management commission amid Indian objections

Pakistan and China have operationalised a joint mechanism for managing their common frontier, marking a significant step in bilateral cooperation on border governance. The inaugural meeting of the Commission, established under the 2013 Agreement on the Boundary Management System, convened at Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on Wednesday.

India swiftly rejected the initiative, describing the newly-formed body as "so-called" and asserting it lacks any legal authority to make decisions regarding Indian territory under what New Delhi terms illegal occupation. The Indian government reiterated its longstanding position that Pakistan's 1963 transfer of the Shaksgam Valley to China was unlawful and cannot be recognised.

New Delhi's opposition reflects broader concerns about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, portions of which traverse Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. India has consistently challenged the corridor project on the grounds that it traverses disputed territory, viewing such initiatives as attempts to legitimise Pakistani control over regions it claims.

The boundary commission's activation underscores deepening strategic cooperation between Islamabad and Beijing, even as regional tensions persist over territorial claims and cross-border arrangements in South Asia.