While China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is well underway fast becoming a reality, certain Pakistani interests in this scenario are being ignored, not only by the Chinese government, but also by the Pakistani state.
It is now a taboo in Pakistan to criticise CPEC while any act as such may be marked as treasonous by the ultra nationalists. However, we need to realise the impact of treating CPEC and its related projects as the divine verses/orders. CPEC is not any holy grail, but after all a business venture, which must address the concerns of common Pakistanis and secure their interests.
China may be treating Pakistan with complete sincerity, but is investing in Pakistan only through state run organisations and mega business enterprises. This is creating a monopoly which will restrict the benefits of CPEC to that monopoly alone. It is understood that China is doing only what suits her interests best and being a communist socialist republic finds itself comfortable dealing with state run institutions and mega businesses having the blessings of the state. However, this situation does not suit the aspirations and interests of the common Pakistanis who are willing and able to raise their voices in order to secure their interests in a democratic republic ruled by a mostly corrupt regime.
China may have secured the Chinese interests in partnership with the Pakistani state institutions for now. But in the longer run, if they continue to ignore the interests of the common people in Pakistan , they are looking at a Pak-US like scenario, where they would be paying/investing money in Pakistan, but the disenfranchised masses at Pakistan would work to sabotage the CPEC and related infrastructure to redress their grievances.
China must understand, that the security establishment of Pakistan which is currently fully on board with them regards CPEC ultimately works to full-fill the national aspirations of Pakistani citizens. If the common Pakistani people feel disenfranchised by the CPEC, which benefits the largely corrupt monopoly created by China, these same people will aspire for the opposite of their present enthusiasm regarding the CPEC.
The dominating Pakistani interests being ignored regards CPEC are :-
People to people, not only government to government exchanges is the key to move forward by both countries in order to understand the aspirations and interests of each other.
'People' and their 'prosperity' are two major pillars for the masses of both China and Pakistan to make CPEC and One Belt One Road(OBOR) project a resounding success for the long term. And as the Chinese would wisely say, "if you want one year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want one hundred year of prosperity, grow people".
At Pakistan, we wish to grow it all including grain, trees and people alongside our Chinese friends. Only that will suffice to make the hype created by CPEC become a reality for the masses.
I would like to conclude by quoting a Chinese proverb:-
"To open a shop is easy, to keep it open is an art"
It is now a taboo in Pakistan to criticise CPEC while any act as such may be marked as treasonous by the ultra nationalists. However, we need to realise the impact of treating CPEC and its related projects as the divine verses/orders. CPEC is not any holy grail, but after all a business venture, which must address the concerns of common Pakistanis and secure their interests.
China may be treating Pakistan with complete sincerity, but is investing in Pakistan only through state run organisations and mega business enterprises. This is creating a monopoly which will restrict the benefits of CPEC to that monopoly alone. It is understood that China is doing only what suits her interests best and being a communist socialist republic finds itself comfortable dealing with state run institutions and mega businesses having the blessings of the state. However, this situation does not suit the aspirations and interests of the common Pakistanis who are willing and able to raise their voices in order to secure their interests in a democratic republic ruled by a mostly corrupt regime.
China may have secured the Chinese interests in partnership with the Pakistani state institutions for now. But in the longer run, if they continue to ignore the interests of the common people in Pakistan , they are looking at a Pak-US like scenario, where they would be paying/investing money in Pakistan, but the disenfranchised masses at Pakistan would work to sabotage the CPEC and related infrastructure to redress their grievances.
China must understand, that the security establishment of Pakistan which is currently fully on board with them regards CPEC ultimately works to full-fill the national aspirations of Pakistani citizens. If the common Pakistani people feel disenfranchised by the CPEC, which benefits the largely corrupt monopoly created by China, these same people will aspire for the opposite of their present enthusiasm regarding the CPEC.
The dominating Pakistani interests being ignored regards CPEC are :-
- Chinese emphasis on working with Punjabi strongmen like Shahbaz Sharif ignoring the leaders of smaller provinces.
- Chinese emphasis on conducting business with only state run/mega business enterprises ignoring the small and medium business owners/entrepreneurs.
- Chinese and Pakistani government's failure to address the environmental impact and carbon imprints of CPEC/related projects like the coal based power plants being made in Pakistan by China.
- Chinese emphasis on primarily investing in Punjab working with the Punjab dominated Pakistani federal government ignoring the smaller provinces. Projects like "Orange Train" at Lahore under the banner of CPEC is uncalled for.
- Chinese and Pakistani government's lack of interest in establishing a 'limited visa free transit' for each other's nationals which is only restricted to the government officials for now.
People to people, not only government to government exchanges is the key to move forward by both countries in order to understand the aspirations and interests of each other.
'People' and their 'prosperity' are two major pillars for the masses of both China and Pakistan to make CPEC and One Belt One Road(OBOR) project a resounding success for the long term. And as the Chinese would wisely say, "if you want one year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want one hundred year of prosperity, grow people".
At Pakistan, we wish to grow it all including grain, trees and people alongside our Chinese friends. Only that will suffice to make the hype created by CPEC become a reality for the masses.
I would like to conclude by quoting a Chinese proverb:-
"To open a shop is easy, to keep it open is an art"
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