And here we go once again. After the controversial Kalabagh dam and Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, the proposed Pakistan-China Economic Corridor is now facing hurdles due to political wrangling in Pakistan.
We have seen this happen several times in the past few decades. Some key mega economic projects have now been shelved in Pakistan and are almost forbidden for discussion in the name of preserving national unity. While these projects had the potential to fast track Pakistan’s economic development and usher a new era of prosperity, they were branded as being ill-conceived and exclusively for the benefit of larger provinces.
The $45 billion Pakistan-China Economic Corridor has been termed as a “flagship” strategic cooperation project and potentially a “game changer” in South Asia. Upon completion, the corridor will connect Gwadar with Chinese city of Kashgar through highways, rail link and oil-gas pipelines.
It is a proof of the time-tested friendship between these two neighbors, and highlights their close understanding to enhance bilateral relations in areas of economy, energy and security. As this project can significantly transform Pakistan’s future and role in South Asia, it is no surprise that India has expressed its reservations about it.
The proposed project has become controversial even in Pakistan on media reports that the corridor will now bypass most of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa via an eastern route.
This route is believed to be chosen on the request of Chinese government for being more feasible from costs and completion time point of view. Even though Pakistan’s government denies any changes and confusion surrounds the original plan, the news has not gone down too well with politicians from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
They believe that any change in route will deprive these two areas of greater economic opportunities and further push them in abyss of poverty. In a recent heated Senate debate, lawmakers from Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa warned China from changing original route of the proposed economic corridor project. Adopting a rather confrontational stance, Senate Foreign Affairs Committee chairman even stated that, “China should remember that it needs K-P and Balochistan for its future business with Afghanistan and that would not be possible without their consent.” This case presents yet another unfortunate instance of politicizing proposed mega projects at the expense of national development priorities.
Keeping in mind Pakistan’s sustainable economic development needs, it is imperative that politicians refrain from building up negative hype around the project. All stakeholders should play their role in developing a national consensus for the Economic Corridor rather than strumming chords of disunity. The federal government should also alleviate concerns of the smaller provinces by protecting their political and economic interests. In particular, the focus should be on inclusive and rapid development of Gwadar so that the locals may not feel exploited. The Economic Corridor Project cannot become successful till development in Gwadar is broadened and separatist insurgency is overcome in Balochistan.
As groundwork on the project has already commenced, the Sharif government should urgently address any misconceptions surrounding it.
Till then, a wait-and-watch approach has to be adopted with regards to the Economic Corridor. For Pakistan’s sake, it can only be hoped that this project does not fall prey to shortsighted political populism and become the next Kalabagh project.
