ISLAMABAD – China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a pilot project of“Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) which is based on the vision of economicprosperity through connectivity, inclusivity and a win-win for Pakistan andbeyond. Since CPEC’s inception, it has been confronted by “hyped”antagonism through the introduction and infusion of negative narratives byexternal forces threatened by the rise of Pakistan and China. Sinceinvestment in future projects is determined largely by our assessments oftheir potential, negative narratives pose a serious threat to therealization of the full potential of CPEC.
Even though the government has been making serious efforts to counter it,there is still a large amount of disinformation spread to create pessimismand doubt in the minds of the public. It is most unfortunate that somePakistani opinion-makers have been deceived by propaganda and are hand inglove with Indian-driven designs of portraying CPEC as a fiction or afailure. Thus, it is direly needed to brush up efforts at all fronts tofoil the malicious designs of enemies near and far to entirely avail thefruits of the CPEC. Although, it will not remain a daunting task to turnpeople’s negative perception into positive if certain facts and groundrealities are constantly highlighted and inculcated in the minds of themasses to such an extent that the purpose of propaganda campaigns aredefeated.It is thoroughly admitted that criticism always paves the way forimprovement in overall goodwill of society, which can always be considered.Unfortunately, a few opponents who have not even a smattering of the basicsof economics, have been ridiculing the total outlay of $63 billion of CPECas a “debt-trap” — a carefully chosen term — coined by Indians which isrepeatedly blared on their print, electronic and the social media tosabotage this colossal economic reality. It is no less than a pity when thespirit of nationalism is altogether sidelined by fanning cleverly crookedand cooked arguments to instill the hatred in the people of Pakistan for abubble reputation.
Surprisingly, Indian worries regarding CPEC seem beyond understanding as towhy they are so concerned and feel panicky when they believe and propagate,that it is going to doom Pakistan’s future. For this purpose, the Indianshave already launched a massive media campaign on the international forumthat the Chabahar seaport will eclipse the importance of Gwadar. Moreworrisome is that as revealed by the “Chairman Joint Chiefs of StaffCommittee (CJCSC) General Zubair Mehmood Hayat in November last year thatIndian RAW has established a special cell at a cost of $500 million tosabotage the CPEC.”
Furthermore, the remarks by a renowned Indian diplomat and a Congresspolitician, Mani Shankar Aiyar, An Indian Ambassador told him that: becauseof the CPEC Pakistan would sink into waters,” to which his response to himwas, “…then what is the worry …”. Truly, this is the most befittingresponse by an Indian intellectual to an Indian propagandist. Coincidently,this can also serve as a message to our home-grown critics who have apropensity to blindly imitate Indian critics without evaluating its adverseimplications on the Pakistani people who have attributed high hopes withCPEC. Adding fuel to the fire, the Indian journos amplify and drawfar-fetched sketches against CPEC and eventually advocate the same aroundthe world.
It must be established that CPEC is going to transform Pakistan from thesmall economy into a bigger economy (25th largest by 2025 only seven yearslater and 20th by 2030) and by no means, this hard reality could be termedas a fiction or a debt trap. Only a seasoned economist can evaluate thedifference between a foreign loan and investment and its impact onPakistan’s economy. Although, the fact of the matter is that out of $63billion an estimated amount of $48 billion is in the form of investment inthe commercial projects by the Chinese companies in Pakistan which hasnothing to do with the latter’s external debt liability. It is only around$15 billion that will come as a loan.
We must not overlook that Gwadar Port and its allied infrastructure wouldalso bring a “Sea change” in the Arabian Sea. CPEC is the China-ledwind-fall change that would also strongly prevail on the ground from Gwadarto Kashgar and the surrounding regions and thus far the ground is beingprepared to prove that it will alter the fate of this region in the nearfuture.
Furthermore, recommendations for connecting Chabahar with Gwadar as a “HubPort” are equally welcomed by both the Chinese and Pakistani governments.But the fact of the matter is that on completion the maximum capacity ofChabahar would be 10-12 million tons per annum as compared to Gwadarcapacity of 300-400 million tons when it will attain full capacity in a fewyears. India has got 212 sea-ports that can hardly handle up to 500 milliontons in a year.
The real concern behind the hostile campaign of India against Gwadar isthat in near future it would outstrip many of India’s operational portsbecause of Gwadar’s much greater water depth where gigantic ships would beanchored and docked. Moreover, Gwadar port will be connected with a mammothnetwork of roads and other infrastructures to China, and onwards to CentralAsian Republics, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Therefore, anycomparison on account of economic considerations between Gwadar andChabahar seems unrealistic.
In a nutshell, this is the time for us Pakistanis to wake up to the realityand realign ourselves according to the vacillating global economic andfinancial structure. Therefore, CPEC and its affiliated economic boom callfor more attention and dedication than ever before as that are the only tomake Pakistan a developed and sustainable economy. The more the oppositionand negative narration emanate from abroad the more substance it offers tothe slogan of CPEC as a fate changer opportunity for Pakistan.
BY: Yasir Masood