Balochistan rebel leaders on Monday held a protest outside the Chinese embassy in London against ongoing work on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in the troubled Balochistan region.  

"We want to tell Pakistan and China that they can do nothing in Balochistan without the consent of the Baloch people," Baloch leader Noordin Mengal said, according to Indian news agency ANI. His remark was made against the ambitious CPEC project, which Pakistan claims will be a "game-changer" for the entire South Asia.      

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Tuesday's protest comes after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concerns over Pakistan's alleged atrocities in Balochistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) during his independence day speech on August 15.

Supporting Modi's stance on Balochistan, protesters in London raised slogans like "PM Modi for Balochistan" and "Kadam badhao Modiji, hum tumhare saath hain (Move forward Modiji, we are with you), ANI reported.

However, Modi's critical remark on Balochistan drew strong response from an influential Chinese think tank. The think tank warned India that any effort to sabotage the CPEC project would force China to intervene in the matter.             

The CPEC, which would connect China's Xinjiang province to the city of Gwadar city in Balochistan province, has been facing hurdles since construction work began in 2002. Balochistan's rebel groups allege that Gwadar Port is aimed at stealing Balochistan's natural resources, and the people of the province are against it.

The Gwadar Port is the crux of the $46 billion dollar CPEC project and has been partially operational since 2007. In May, a Chinese engineer was injured in a roadside blast in Karachi. A little-known separatist group, who claimed responsibility for the incident, vowed to derail the ambitious project.

TagsChina-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Balochistan, Chinese Embassy in London, china, China and India