While taking both the
all-weather friends to the new heights of bilateral relations, the
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a significant development mega
project. The principal purpose of this multi-billion project is to link the
Gwadar Port in southwestern Pakistan to northwestern region of Xinjiang in China
and to provide Pakistan energy and communication infrastructure. The development
project is aimed to be connected through highways, railways, oil and gas
pipelines, and an optical fiber link. Moreover, the development mega project
also includes 2,700-kilometers highway from Kashgar to Gwadar through Khunjrab,
railways links for cargo trains between Gwadar and Khunjrab linking to China and
having connectivity with Afghanistan, Iran and India. The project is one of the
largest projects in history of bilateral relations between Pakistan and China
also known as multi-billion project. The entire program costs $46 billion. $34
billion would be spent on energy infrastructure and remaining amount is for
basal infrastructures. Besides, being one of the largest regional projects the
China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a time taking project which is
estimated to be end up by 2030. The projects are planed short, mid and long
terms. The short term projects would be completed by 2018. The midterm projects
are expected to be end by 2025. However, most important long term projects would
be wind up by 2030.
While the project is one of the significant and beneficial mega projects, it
experiences certain dominating threats. Following are scores of threats that the
corridor is undergoing.
So far the most prevailing threat experiences by the corridor is lingering
security concerns. Scores of militant outfits such as, Tehreek-e-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP), Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA),
Baluchistan Liberation Front (BLF) have been on front to impair the corridor via
physical damage and attacking the workforce while accomplishing economic gains
and filling up the desires of their influential foreign masters. Besides,
several of the Chinese workers have been killed as yet in different ambushes.
That was the very reason when China had several times urged Pakistan to provide
enough security to the Chinese workforce. Moreover, another key existing threat
to the corridor is political concerns. While in September 2014 the Chinese
president had to pay visit to Pakistan. However, owing to tight political
situation in Pakistan forced president of China to postpone his visit. In
addition, another controversy broke out when some nationalist political alleged
government for route changing. Though Mr. Prime Minister of Pakistan convened an
all parties conference to figure out the issue, yet the ado still remains
intact.
Furthermore, RAW is a secret services of India. Being a hostile secret agency it
has never let a chance to harm interests of Pakistan. According to a daily
newspaper the security agencies of China shared documents with Pakistan that RAW
is on its front to sabotage the mega project. Pakistan’s neighboring country
since the partition has remained hostile on accounts of ideological differences
and the desire of Kashmir possession. Therefore, it is always on its way to
damage interests of Pakistan through its secret services.
More importantly, unrest in Baluchistan is another key threat to the economic
corridor. There are certain outfits such as Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA),
Baluchistan Liberation Front (BLF) endeavoring to sabotage the mega project to
pursue their interests of separating Baluchistan from Pakistan and destabilizing
Pakistan. Besides, these outfits there are nationalists who are in view that the
corridor would turn out the majority Baloch in minority constructing a negative
perception.
Additionally, which provinces and cities will reap the windfall of Chinese
Investment is not revealed officially so far. Thus making it one of the
prevailing potential threats to the corridor. Even sub-nationalist political
parties have launched a campaign against the federal government alleging it on
showing cold shoulder to the provinces other than Punjab where the ruling party
has attained the majority votes in general elections in 2013. Thus this
political ploy is directly affecting the flow of the project.
To sum up, the China Pakistan being all-weather friends have always endeavored
to strengthen their relations through different ways. However, numerous times
the efforts went all in vein owing to different constraints. Karakoram Highway
stands a story of the failure as yet. All the efforts shall be put forth to
figure out the aforementioned hindrances to the mega project as for the nations
every difficulty is surmountable if true attempts are put forward. And
ultimately the corridor would benefit both the stakeholders. And it would
certainly flourish not only the lives of people of China and Pakistan but also
all the neighboring nations if these dominating threats are dealt successfully.
Through this prestigious platform I urge the concerned authorities that they
shall immediately bring these dominating threats on to the table and overcome
before the damage has all done.