Muhammad Haroon
No bilateral treaty in the history of 67-year has benefited Pakistan more than what China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has done. A project worth more than $50 billion, stretching over 3000 kilometers from Gwadar to Xinjiang, has the potential to boost Pakistan’s economy. India’s obsession with Pakistan has exposed India’s clandestine face under Modi’s regime, a barrier that may become a stumbling block to the development of the CPEC. Modi has termed the CPEC as “unacceptable” for India. He has shown his self-inclusive attitude during his visit to China, but the Chinese President categorically rejected his immature and childish demands.
On the other side of the picture, India had is supporting local opponents of the CPEC in Pakistan, particularly the Baloch nationalists. These Indian tactics are due to the potential investment and development in Pakistan. The Indian-supported suspects have been receiving funds from the RAW to sabotage the CPEC. Parallel to CPEC projects, India is trying to offer avenues for the regional countries like Afghanistan and Central Asian countries to utilize it for the transportation of their goods through Chahbahar port of Iran. Moreover, New Delhi is extending $150 million loan to develop Chahbahar Port in Iran to have access to Afghanistan and Central Asian energy markets – bypassing Pakistan. India is looking to create a vast network of enhanced connectivity with the land-locked Central Asia and eventually Europe, through the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).India is also operating from Afghanistan to create unrest in Pakistan. China has already warned Pakistan of the RAW’s nefarious intentions of sabotaging the CPEC. India’s involvement in the terrorist activities in Pakistan is not a surprise. The CPEC has,in fact, exposed the real face of Indiaby considering the CPECproject as China’s strategic move against India.
Pakistan wants peace, but it cannot ignore Indian hostile activities, and therefore, is taking effective counter-measures, as India is targeting the CPEC through its ‘subversive activities’. There is a dire need to crack down the RAW supported criminalsto ensure smooth work on the CPEC-related projects. There is also a need to advance comprehensive trade reforms for sustaining macroeconomic projects and to stop India from becoming a regional hegemon. The contemporary era presents multiple opportunities for Pakistan. Pakistan needs to adopt a strategy to counter Indian threats and emerging geopolitical challenges, both at national and regional level. At the national level, Pakistan needs to address the concerns of smaller provinces, whereas the political parties need to show maturity and ownership of the CPEC project. At the regional level,
