ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is developing country; the CPEC is a great opportunityto enhance Pakistan economy. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is themajor part of the One Belt One Road (OBOR) the pet globalization project ofPresident Xi Jinping with roots in the great ancient and medieval SilkRoads.
Besides the land routes between the Gwadar deep-sea port of Gwadar,Pakistan to Kashgar in western China (farther through China constructedrail-road infrastructure connecting with Central Asia and Russia) it alsoincludes a major chapter of sea-based Maritime Silk Route that will beeasily and cost-effectively connecting China through Gwadar to the broaderIndian Ocean, the Gulf States and East Africa, all the way to Mediterraneanvia Red Sea, thus with North Africa and Europe. The new transit and trade facilities will not only upgrade and expand theexisting Pakistani infrastructure, but it will also provide China win analternate transit and trade route in a cost-effective manner to broaderglobal regions rapidly as well as the infrastructure of China.
The aim of the project is to connect China’s north-western region ofXinjiang to Gwadar port of Baluchistan. When completed, Pakistan will behaving a massive new network of roads, highways, railways and pipelines.The road will be approximately 2700 kilometers distance from Gwadar toKashgar.
The motorway is also a part of this project, which will be about 1100kilometers long stretching from Lahore to Karachi in addition to theKarakorum highway from Kashgar via Khunjrab Pass to Islamabad.A train track between Peshawar and Karachi will also be built; theKarakorum highways between Rawalpindi and Chinese border shall also beextended and constructed. The network of pipelines shall also beconstructed which will be used to transport liquefied natural gas and oilfrom Iran and the Gulf countries.
The CPEC is not only about the infrastructure of (trains roads, andpipeline) it will also connect Europe and Central Asian countries with theregion providing a higher level of development, as well as culturalexchanges between China and Pakistan.
The work on the project has already begun, but some problems associatedwith the route have caused to stop the project for a while related to thesensitivities of some provinces in Pakistan.
The Chinese Premier Xi Jin-Ping emphasized the construction on an urgentbasis, as Pakistani Prime minister Nawaz Sharif has also shown a keeninterest in the project to start work on the urgent basis.
This Corridor will also likely improve the relations between India andPakistan. A series of work is going on to develop a consensus between Delhiand Islamabad, Beijing, and Washington DC – depending upon the policychoices of the nationalist government in India – on how to seek peace andsettlement in Pakistan for the smooth running of the project and takebenefit mutually.
Federal Minister Mr. Ahsan Iqbal has also emphasized that CPEC willproduce the equal opportunities for all region of Pakistan; he furthermentioned that the CPEC is not only one road project but multi-sectoralprojects such as energy, infrastructure, Gwadar and industrial sector inthe country.
For the smooth functioning of the project, Pakistan Army is playing itspart in providing security to the project. The CPEC will restore Pakistan’seconomic growth of the early 1960s which led economists at the time topredict that the country would be one of the futures leading economicpowers in Asia.
CPEC has a high value for both countries China and Pakistan. Due to CPECthe connectivity will open up west China to the south and contribute to“One Belt One Road” initiative policy.
The establishment of communication from Kashgar to Gwadar has been agreedto be completed by 2030. Chinese Government is trying to utilize the entirenecessary supporting role to enable the environment for the open economicsystem and logistic system in the regional vision of CPEC.
The CPEC not only for China and Pakistan but will also benefit thesurrounding countries. Pakistan will increase its economic growth throughthis project and it is the right initiative for both countries – China andPakistan. CPEC is envisioned as a corridor of peace, prosperity anddevelopment. Although facing a lot of challenges, the Project has asignificant potential of promising future.
The people of Pakistan were adversely affected in the past due toinadequate opportunities and lack of right decisions. The CPEC will have atransformational impact on the state and the prosperity of the people ofPakistan.
The visit of President Xi in April 2015 and Chinese commitment of $46billion plus for various projects of CPEC, sketched the world attention tothe new development and growth of the economy, and this will be the realprosperity for the both countries and will promise future for theregion/the world.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan held a meeting of the political leadership;all parties supported the CPEC project as well as they warmly welcome tothe Chinese investment.
It is seemed to be a breakthrough for Pakistan’s development and successfulcompletion of the CPEC may generate three to four times more profit thantheir investment.
The Corridor will boost up economic development and create new business andjob opportunities which will help in the alleviation of poverty and improvethe infrastructure, the energy requirements, workforce development andeconomic progress. CPEC is viewed as a game changer for both China-Pakistanand the entire region; economic development and regional integration willbe enhanced through connectivity and partnership.
It will have a positive impact on the living standard of the common peoplein the region by providing numerous opportunities of cooperation anddevelopment. It will address the grievances, sense of deprivation,discrimination and poor management of resources, of a different segment ofthe society of Pakistan.
It will boost the trade and investment, exploration of mineral resourcesand increase the strategic and economic location of Pakistan. On the otherhand, the project is important for China’s perspective as “flagshipproject”. It will provide the shortest route to the Middle East, Africa andEurope, thus further boosting up the economy.
The accomplishment of the CPEC will help China to counter the US dominanceand will also get the chance to develop its north-western provinceXinjiang, which is an underdeveloped area. In Xinjiang separatist movementhas started by Uyghurs.
Thus, China wants to develop the socio-economic framework of that region.Only in this way, China can curtail aggressive sentiments against itscentral government.
Written by: Riaz Ahmed