The CPEC is part of the One Belt One Road project.
What is CPEC: For a long time, China’s China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project has been opposed in Balochistan, Pakistan. Balochistan insurgents hijacked Jaffar Express train to show their anger against the establishment and the CPEC project.
What is CPEC project?
The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an infrastructure project, which is going on across Pakistan with the help of China. It is a part of the One Belt One Road project launched by the Chinese government. The initial cost of this ambitious project of Chinese President Xi Jinping was estimated at $46 billion in 2013. However, by 2017, the estimated cost of the total expenditure had reached $ 62 billion.
Under this project, an economic corridor is being built from Gwadar in Pakistan to Kashgar in China. Through this corridor, China’s access to the Arabian Sea will be easier. Under CPEC, China is working on roads, ports, airports, railways and energy projects in Pakistan.
Since 1950, there had been plans to create an economic corridor from China to the ports located along the Arabian Sea in Pakistan. By the time the Gwadar Port was completed in 2006, China’s interest in the region had significantly increased. However, during this period, the expansion of the port was temporarily halted due to political turmoil in Pakistan.
In 2013, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and China’s Premier Li Keqiang decided to enhance mutual connectivity and signed several agreements for economic cooperation. All these agreements were for the long term, including the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
When China and Pakistan signed the agreement to start CPEC, this $46 billion project was equal to 20% of Pakistan’s total GDP. In November 2016, China announced an additional investment of $8.5 billion in Pakistan, of which $4.5 billion was allocated for the main railway line from Karachi to Peshawar. $4 billion was allocated for LNG terminals and transmission lines to address the energy shortfall. In 2018, it was announced that after the completion of ongoing energy projects in Pakistan, hydropower projects under CPEC would be promoted.
Several projects in Pakistan have been completed under CPEC with China’s cooperation. It will connect the Gwadar port in Pakistan’s Balochistan to China’s Xinjiang, passing through the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), which India claims.
Despite being disputed, this area of Gilgit-Baltistan attracts significant foreign investment. If CPEC succeeds here, it would effectively recognize this region as part of Pakistan, weakening India’s claim over the 73,000 square kilometers of land in this area. Additionally, India argues that China is pursuing an expansionist policy and is attempting to encircle India through CPEC. Moreover, this corridor will facilitate easier road access for Pakistan and China up to the borders of the Kashmir Valley in India. Therefore, strategically, it also goes against India.
Balochistan’s people believe that their region is the most resource-rich in Pakistan and Pakistan exploits these resources through foreign powers like China, but the local people do not benefit from it. The people of Balochistan claim that the Pakistani government is seizing their resources. In return, they have to live in poverty. Additionally, it is also said that under the guise of the China project, China is settling its citizens in Balochistan. Therefore, as soon as China’s projects began, the Baloch started attacking its employees and Chinese citizens, which continues to this day.
