Qammer Abbass Anka
Today, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has become talk of the globe. The golden CPEC project is likely to become a strong bondage to enormously boost trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. The corridor will connect Gwadar Port to Kashgar, China. The project will enable full operationalization of Gwadar, the first deep sea port in the region. Control of Gwadar Port after operationalization in 2007 was transferred to China’s state-owned China Overseas Ports Holding in February 2013. Since then, Gwadar has undergone many major expansions to attain the status of full-fledged, deep-water commercial port. Presently China is some 13,000 Kms from Persian Gulf with a long shipping time of about 45 days. CPEC will shrink this distance to merely 2500 Kms (80% reduction) whereas, the shipping time will reduce to 10 days (78% reduction). This will virtually amount to a space worm between China and Pakistan. Envious short cut and swift sea transportation will change trade economics of the region.
CPEC is not only an economic booster for China and Pakistan, its domain is rather South Asian region with far reaching effects on economic growth and trade integration. The project will fulfill China’s energy needs and augment Pakistan’s economy. It is a project of peoples’ prosperity and a viable means of poverty eradication for the entire region. In short, CPEC is a ‘game changer’ for Pakistan’s economy and a leap forward towards a major geo-strategic shift in the region. Since anti Pakistani elements can not tolerate development of Pakistan, so they have come daggers drawn to create hurdles against CPEC. The Project while it is underway, presently faces a variety of challenges that seek to undermine its beneficial impact for all involved. The threats are both internal and external exploiting political, economic and security vulnerabilities of Pakistan.
CPEC has brought sleepless nights to foes of China and Pakistan, who can not digest CPEC as a game changer in the region. These countries, especially, India are and will continue to create stumbling blocks and impede progress on CPEC. They are already spreading anarchy in Baluchistan and KPK. Their propaganda aims at polluting perceptions of people of these provinces by stirring controversies like economic deprivation and changed routes of the CPEC etc. Following their failure in FATA, these anti Pakistani elements are now focusing to Baluchistan, KPK and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) to create controversies on CPEC through tools of regionalism. These foes have managed to attract some of the political leadership and are now using their mouth to further toxic propaganda against CPEC.
Indian maneuvers to oppose CPEC are not only limited to RAW lead operations within Pakistan. In this context, India is approaching a diplomatic route to stop the construction of the CPEC in GB which it considers to be an integral part of its territory. Moreover, Indian spin doctors duly managed by RAW, have resorted to promoting and supporting anti Pakistan elements like Abdul Hamid Khan, Chairman Balawaristan and Senge Hasnan Sering, President of Institute for GB, etc to proliferate unfounded facts against Pakistan. Such elements, who are devoid of any local support and living abroad, are being portrayed as true representatives of GB at various international forums. There are also strong foot prints of foreign intelligence agencies engaged in espionage against the CPEC and nurturing GB based militant groups. The overall rise in sectarian tensions are result of these efforts.
India had already established a mega project within RAW to sabotage CPEC project. Historic arrest of Kulbhushan Yadav, a RAW terrorist, from Baluchistan, has amply exposed Indian inimical activities of exploiting Baloch sub nationalists to create hurdles for CPEC. The arrest has embarrassed India internationally and also communicated her that our intelligence agencies are second to none and fully capable of fulfilling their responsibility of thwarting all threats to Pakistan. Realizing the significance, sensitivity and gravity of security challenges to CPEC, Pakistan’s national and military leadership acted with impudence and took appropriate measures to thwart all Indian threats. To vent off frustration, RAW network has intensified its subversive and terrorist activities in Baluchistan. In future, by using connections with militant outfits, India may step up their activities like kidnapping/murder of Chinese personnel, kidnapping/murder of Pakistani personnel, bombings of installations and acts of violence etc. In the past, these elements have also attempted to fuel sectarian strife in GB through barbaric killings of large number of people belonging to Bohra community in Karachi. The incident was dramatically projected to portray the vulnerabilities of the area. Caught off guarded in Baluchistan and irked over failure of exploiting sectarian vulnerabilities in GB, India has resorted to yet another malicious propaganda. It is projecting presence of Pak Army in GB as intrusion in the rights of local populace. India’s wicked media is also terming it a potential platform to laubch terrorist’s activities within India. While doing so, India brazenly forgets presence of her devilish occupational forces engaged in genocide of Kashmiris in IOK. Similar propaganda was also launched alleging baseless presence of Chinese Army in GB
GB today has their own Government, elected Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly and Gilgit-Baltistan Council. The Government of Pakistan has also initiated process of legal deliberations to give a constitutional cover to the area on the lines of AJK. GB being the gateway of CPEC leading into Pakistan, enjoys a grand strategic and socio economic importance. The area has huge potential in trade with China, tourism, minerals, gems, precious stones, agri-farming and hydro power production. Optimum utilization of the potential of GB through CPEC will definitely elevate the standard of common populace. People of GB have always been clear in acknowledging and defending their association with Pakistan and give no attention to any form of the propaganda. They fully understand that RAW’s funded unfamiliar people like Senge Hasnan Sering and Abdul Hamid Khan are not at all the voice of populace of GB. They are only to implement India’s sinister designs in the region.
India with record of having edgy relations with all its neighbours, given its hegemonic and devilish designs in South Asian political calculus, has decided to leave no stone unturned in creating unrest in Pakistan, especially, Baluchistan and GB to sabotage CPEC project. Indian acrimony against Pakistan has made her insane to oppose and hinder CPEC at any cost. Pakistanis are a great nation and fully capable of safeguarding their national interests. India’s propaganda, no matter how toxic and intelligent will not bear any fruit in impeding CPEC. It is a God gifted opportunity and will get materialized (Insha Allah).
