CPEC was formally established in 2013, originally valued at $46 billion, and by 2017 its value rose to $62 billion. The project comprises a series of infrastructure projects, financially beneficial to both Pakistan and China. Ever since its inception it has been a sight for sore eyes for the US, British and Indian lobbies who have openly opposed it as it creates hurdles in their designs to dominate this subcontinent.
Therefore, the project faces threats on multiple fronts not only from its known foreign opponents but also from a few factions within the country. Ever since the 1950s, the Chinese were motivated to build a corridor gaining access to Pakistan’s deep-water port at Gwadar. Construction of the Karakoram Highway in 1959 was a part of their vision to develop common strategic interests with Pakistan, strengthened by economic cooperation.
Unfortunately, those who held power at the time lacked both vision and capacity to comprehend such a profitable long-term scheme and instead preferred to be part of joint military pacts, fighting proxy wars for the US. These one-sided defence treaties were for the benefit of America’s international interests, providing absolutely no long-term mutual benefit for security in Pakistan.
Malik Tariq Ali
Lahore
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2020.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
