Zarmeen Asim
China and Pakistan friendship has transformed into amicable strategic partnership over versatile canvass of mutual interest. Over the years, both the countries have developed strong bilateral trade and economic collaboration. China has gradually emerged as Pakistan’s major trading partner both in domain of exports and imports. Today, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has become talk of the globe. China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), an essential component of OBOR termed as a “Game Changer” for Pakistan is not only the pivot of China-Pakistan politico-economic relations, but holds similar promise for the region and beyond. China and Pakistan enjoys close strategic partnership based on mutual interests. The two ‘Iron brothers’ also enjoy a ‘shared destiny’ with close political, diplomatic, defence and cultural ties. CPEC is a comprehensive development program that requires the linking of Gwadar Port to China’s north-western region of Xinjiang through highways, railways, oil and gas pipelines, and an optical fibre link. While the project offers enormous opportunities to Pakistan such as economic prosperity, socio-economic uplift of general population and under developed areas, there are also few challenges attached to it. Therefore, now it’s important that the Government of Pakistan should adopt prudent and far-sighted policies and strategies to accumulate maximum benefits and prove to its adversaries that they are wrongly perceivedabout CPEC.
When China announced a massive investment of $46 billion in Pakistan, it was definitely a shock and indigestible factor for the rivals. They started conspiracies against this project. Be it by creating difference of opinion among the political parties on the routes connecting to CPEC and making them fight on the share of provinces or be it raising security concerns time and again that Chinese engineers working in Pakistan are not safe, hence this project will be smashed and turn into a complete failure. Foes of Pakistan, whether double agent nationals or foreign turncoats they are always busy in g plotting about Pakistan and its developmental projects.A recent such statement came from Hussain Haqanni and Asma Jahangir, while speaking at Hudson Institute they raised those points about CPEC which are already addressed by Pakistani officials and many misperceptions regarding the CPEC are cleared time and again. Raising voice on international forum by creating controversies about Pakistan show howinsincere and hypocrite, they are for Pakistan and try to spell venom against their own nation whenever they get a chance. Their point of objection that in CPEC project Chinese workers are not given due security is wrong as Chinese are not working for the first time in Pakistan. They have successfully and are still working in Pakistan on Chashma Hydal Power Project. Similarly, they have joint collaborations with PAF and other military institutions in Pakistan and being the guest of Pakistan it is state responsibility to provide them security and best livelihood facilities, which no doubt they are availing and enjoying in Pakistan. Attaching the stigma of security threat is wrong as no doubt country is facing security challenges but has come a long way to counter such hostile elements. Security threat for CPEC project emanate from extremist militancy, nationalist insurgency and criminal violence along the route of CPEC. Nevertheless, Pakistan has requisite capacity and adequate security infrastructure to deal amicably with such challenges. Pakistan has already proven her capacity and resolve in countering such threats under Operation “Zarb-e-Azb” which has been applauded Worldwide. The said operation has flushed out the extremists from Pak soil besides substantially weakening China specific ETIM. A loud and clear message was given by Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Shareef in a seminar on Gwadar on 12 April, 2016 stating that CPEC is grand manifestation of deep rooted ties between China and Pakistan and it’s a corridor of peace and prosperity for region. At the final stages of military operation in FATA going on, we take Zarb-e-Azb as a wholesome concept which aims at breaking the syndicate of terrorism, extremism and corruption. International community must acknowledge Pakistan’s sacrifices and success and come forward to block external help to terrorist organizations, facilitators, abettors and their financers. He said that hostile agencies are blatantly involved in destabilizing Pakistan but we will not allow anyone to create impediments and turbulence in any part of Pakistan. Therefore, China’s apprehensions regarding CPEC are well answered and China is very much satisfied with security measures adopted for its workers in Pakistan.
CPEC is an economic project having strategic outlook for the wellbeing of lesser developed areas. It would create a link between adjoining countries as well as other regions to facilitate the trade activity. Resultantly, the region is expected to witness an economic boom with multifaceted benefited to the surrounding countries in general and Pakistan in particular. Gwadar plays a key role in CPEC and in next 4-5 decades it would surpass Karachi in socio-economic development, thus offering multiple employment opportunities to the people of Baluchistan. Development of Gwadar port will not only bring prosperity to local economy and eradicate the social imbalance but will enable Baluchistan to pursuit in other provinces in economic and social development. Point raised by saying that CPEC will deprive Baluchistan youth from job and they will remain unemployed is wrong as this huge project has already given job opportunities to locals. In this context, some of the political and social activists while viewing CPEC myopically are polluting minds and hearts of innocent masses by beating the drums of provincialism. They think that the provinces are being deprived of the development and employment opportunities the CPEC will bring with it. However, leadership of both countries and political parties in Pakistan are in complete harmony to pursue the project with strong resolve and determination. Chinese investment will help remove energy bottlenecks and will augment growth and income levels. CPEC has brought sleepless nights to foes of China and Pakistan, who cannot digest CPEC as a game changer in the region. Rivals and adversaries are and will continue to create hurdles and impede progress on CPEC.
CPEC has remained focus of sabotage by rival countries. Arrest of Indian spy few months back in Baluchistan, promoting Chabahar more worthwhile than Gwadar and creating unrest among masses by distributing prejudiced material regarding insurgency and nationalist movements in different provinces of Pakistan indicate their frustration over success of CPEC. Surely, CPEC will greatly inherit the benefits as well as the dividends from the overall Chinese dream. This plan envisions Pakistan’s socio-economic development through a stabilised GDP, improved FDI flows, export promotion, poverty alleviation, generation of employment and skilled labour force. However, in order to fully reap these benefits, the government of Pakistan will have to take account of challenges in order to make corridor of friendship meaningful. Being taking it as a national responsibility, our mainstream political parties and their leadership and people of Pakistan should take lead role in proving that CPEC is a God gifted opportunity for prosperity and welfare of Pakistan and it will surely be a definite success.
