Sort it out while there’s still time
Controversy continues to whirl around the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a recently signed Sino-Pak agreement that promises to inject more than $46 billion worth investment in Pakistan to build an economic trade corridor. For Pakistan, this proposed corridor is not only important for economic reasons but for other strategic reasons as well: Pakistan has managed to convince China about the operational viability of this project amidst multiple challenges ranging from unstable internal security to national movements, which threaten its viability. This kindles a hope that there still remains a geographical importance of Pakistan that it once claimed, and Gwadar, which arguably is the pivot of this entire project, can be transformed into an economic hub.
However, all of this is only possible if there is internal unity amongst all political stakeholders, which unfortunately has evaporated from the scene, putting entire project in jeopardy.
If implemented successfully, it has potential of transforming Pakistan into a thriving economy. According to officially released data, more than 25,000MW electricity will be added in the national grid system through different energy related projects. A portion of this investment will focus on reforming the transportation system in breadth and width of Pakistan. Besides, there are numerous other projects focusing on economic developing economic zones in different regions.
Historically, Pakistan has observed bitter inter-provincial relations in addition to horrid central-provincial relations. From the questionable accessions of the Kalat state to inclusion of Sawat and other states in Pakistan, the provinces have always recorded their grievances against prejudicial treatment of centre towards their provincial subjects.
If implemented successfully, it has potential of transforming Pakistan into a thriving economy
The current government has only been pushing an already existing wedge between different provinces as far as questions related to equal development and share of resources is concerned. Prevailing controversy over the CPEC is a glaring illustration of this chronic problem which has only undermined Pakistan’s development.
While the minister for planning and commission, Ahsan Iqbal, has repeatedly said that the CPEC is a national project, all provinces – except Punjab – have raised hue and cry for not getting the promised due rights. In this regard, Baluchistan has remained in the public eye. And rightly so: in the recent APC, Baluchistan opposition maintained that major part of the energy projects under CPEC were transferred to Punjab.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has also raised concerns in this regard. Venting out his frustration, the KP chief minister recently warned the federal government that CPEC could only be completed over their dead bodies if they were denied their due share. Rather than seriously addressing the raised concerns, Ahsan Iqbal in response argued that the KP government didn’t represent itself properly during the stake holders meetings and had sent only parliamentary secretaries.
China, which is known for keeping matters of strategic importance away from the public eye, has also raised concerns about this unending controversy regarding routes and rights of smaller provinces. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Islamabad recently gave a statement urging all political parties to bridge their differences. Moreover, while China has called for the development of least economically developed regions on priority basis – which are part of the CPEC – the current government continues its selective development which, by and large, only benefits one province. Such concerns by the state that is directly investing billions of dollars into this project will only play into the hands of forces that do not want to see the revival of Pakistan’s economy, which can actually transform Pakistan into a major South Asian power.
While there is no denying the strategic significant of CPEC for Pakistan at the state level, its successful implementation only remains a dream
The government’s complete indifference towards smaller provinces’ concerns has united all opposition parties – something that rarely happens in Pakistan. The western route of CPEC has been the focal point of all controversy. The previous meeting of the all parties conference (APC), which took place in July last year, ended with government’s promise of building the western route on priority basis, which benefits Baluchistan and KP. Implementation of this route remains futile: while the prime minister inaugurated the western route a few weeks ago, in the recent APC all opposition parties maintained that actual map of the route has been altered.
Moreover, government has further deepened the controversy by brining the status of Gilgit-Baltistan into question, which has weakened Pakistan’s position on the Kashmir issue. While this effort was to provide legal cover to the multi-billion dollar project, this has generated new debate; if Gilgit-Baltistan was part of the Kashmir region or not. Historian Dr Yaqoob Khan Bangash recently argued that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan acceded to Pakistan by will, and the Pakistani state should acknowledge their efforts by granting them full-fledge citizen status. The government has opened another Pandora’s box as there appears no viable solution to how the current government will formally incorporate disputed regions into Pakistan without creating further tensions.
As mentioned before, Gwadar, which is the centre piece of this development project, remains a neglected area on its periphery while the port is claimed to become a future economic hub. Ahsan Iqbal has, on various occasions, claimed that a number of projects listed under CPEC would transform this port into a leading world class port city for traders and tourists. However disparity is visible from the division of projects in the area. Moreover, locals claim that their lands are grabbed illegally and are not being compensated for properly.
The ruling party has also run into intra-party divisions on this matter: Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, a leading N-league political figure from KPK, has decided to support the stance of the provincial government against his own party’s stand.
While there is no denying the strategic significant of CPEC for Pakistan at the state level, its successful implementation only remains a dream, as it has run into controversies and disputes before it could even begin properly. If the government is serious in CPEC’s implementation, it needs to address all outstanding concerns attached with it. Running around them these issues will only create another Kalabagh Dam out of it.
