Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan
THE China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has strategic orientations but rapidly changing socio-economic trends, geopolitical scenarios and geostrategic compulsions there is an urgent need to redesign and reshape its future course of action and implementation mechanism in order to create strategic cushions against all regional enmities and global rivalries. The CPEC is the icon of economic sustainability having potential of greater regional connectivity and socio-economic integration. But increasing regional squabbles has deteriorated regional security and peace. Development has become siege of regional disputes due to which national narratives are at the mercy of hand grenades (social media accounts). China-India constant stand-off in Ladakh has now drastically changed the landscape of economic preferences and political priorities.
Indian misadventure has created elements of insecurity and violation of territorial sovereignty among the regional countries especially China and Pakistan. It is feared that CPEC would be ultimate target of ongoing tussle between China and India in Ladakh where some mega projects of the CPEC are situated merely 10-15 kilometres away. In this context, Government of Pakistan has already initiated right steps in the right direction namely broadcasting daily weather report of the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), speed-up mega infrastructural projects and last but not the least, highest political consultation with all the main stream parties and stakeholders to change the current status of the GB (6th province of Pakistan) so that spill over ramifications of any Indian misadventures in the region especially from the Line of the Control or Ladakh may be easily managed.
Wise policy making of the Government of Pakistan and its patriotic establishment has now formed zones of comfort among the policy makers of the CPEC and hopefully, its phase-II will be started as soon as possible. In this regard, appointment of new Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan with diversified expertise of good governance, economic development, social cohesion, rational decision making, political adaptability and last but not the least, commercial diplomacy may be a valuation-addition for the success of the CPEC phase-II. The CPEC has opened a window of opportunity for the GB. It is now successfully forming zones of happiness, satisfaction, socio-economic prosperity, technical learning and enrolment of new businesses with the help of the CPEC.
The GB is an essential part of the CPEC project and residents of this region will be provided maximum benefits. It will connect with neighbouring Chinese Xinjiang province. It will tremendously increase business activities and will also brighten prospects of investment. Various mini-hydropower projects are under construction in the GB changing the daily life of the local residents. According to the official statistics (June 2020), the GBR has great energy potential due to huge water resources. It can generate over 50,000-megawatt electricity from water which can be subsequently connected with the National Power Supplies System (NPSS).
The Gilgit-Chitral Road (GCR) would reduce physical distance and would be useful for the local economy of the GB. Moreover, Karakoram Highway (KKH) up-gradation and maintenance schemes have been initiated in the GB Region. For the development of local agro-economy both the governments have devised a comprehensive plan under the ‘green channel’ to allow imports and exports of fresh and dried fruits including apricot and cherry. Unfortunately somehow, the Pakistani customs officials are not implementing the mechanism in its true spirits thus create unnecessary hurdles to promote bilateral trade under the umbrella of the CPEC.
The Gilgit-Baltistan Region (GBR) is one of the most attractive areas in the world and its economy could get a boost from tourism and trade with China. Furthermore, its vast tourism opportunities would be further brightened with the help of the CPEC projects in the GB. It has one of the most beautiful valleys like Nagar, Hunza, Gilgit, Attaabad, Khaplu, Shiger, Gupis, Astore, and Skardu thus attracts the local and foreign tourists in the summer season. Completion of various projects of the CPEC would further enhance importance of these fairylands of the GBR in the days to come. Since the GBR has become a gateway for the multi-billion dollar CPEC, banks, investors and food chains are moving into the mountainous region. Many domestic banks are planning to expand their branches in the GBR.
Telecommunication companies are gearing up their infrastructures and services to grab the potential opportunities. Various food chains are in the process of shifting their franchises to GBR to avail this opportunity. It seems that development of the CPEC and development of the GBR is interconnected and correlated. The GBR would be a future business hub after the CPEC becomes fully operational. CPEC is now bringing drastic changes in the daily life of the local people living in the GBR. Harsh weather in the winter is an impediment in the way of large investment which needs to be tackled as soon as possible.
Interestingly, 180 km Hazara Motorway linking the Burhan Interchange near Hasan Abdal in Punjab province with Thakot in north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has been completed and operationalized. It has significantly reduced travel hours from capital Islamabad. To revolutionize the GBR, nine priority SEZs have been selected. Moqpondass is one of the proposed SEZ under CPEC in the GBR that is bordered with Afghanistan to the north, China to the northeast, and the State of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to the south. It has important geopolitical & geostrategic leverage which may be used in the days to come. The Moqpondass SEZ of GB, naturally rich in precious stones, fruits. The proposed SEZ would be connected through nearest airport 35KM, Sost Dry port 200KM, CPEC Route 4KM on Gilgit-Skardu Road. It is an ideal place for marble and granite production, iron ore processing, fruit processing and value addition steel industry, mineral processing and leather industry.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has changed the dynamics of the GBR. It is planned to further develop scope of the KKH. The CPEC will continue to build on the existing KKH, passing through the mountains of the GBR. The KKH will be further improved and a few new roads will be constructed for easy and smooth travel, moreover new bridges, tunnels and railway track is expected to construct to connect Kashgar city of China to Havelian in Pakistan. Being prominent regional expert of the BRI & CPEC I suggest that since the GBR shares its border with China therefore it should be further developed thus catering the future economic, industrial, trade, joint ventures, foreign direct investment and tourism potentials under the umbrella of the CPEC in the days to come.
