Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Sardar Masood Khan, President Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is one of six main projects coming under the mega Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project. Comparing the BRI to the Marshall Plan, he said that this project is of considerable economic and strategic importance as this unparalleled transcontinental project will connect countries and continents; thereby, creating a parallel economic world focusing on economic cooperation and development.
The President made these remarks while addressing a Q&A session organized by Islamabad Institute of Conflict Resolution (IICR) on “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and its impact on Societal Emancipation of Pakistan and Afghanistan”. The session was moderated by Maj. Gen. (R) Raza Muhammad, member IICR Advisory Board. Masood Khan said that CPEC – a $62 billion spanning around 15 years project – comprises of ports, power generation plants and infrastructure development, which has now been made holistic and substantive with the addition of socio-economic development projects like skill development, employment and people to people contacts.
“The focus is not merely on Gawadar Port but Gawadar and every other city of Pakistan, skill development, improving our overall human resource capital and indexes. The CPEC has transformed into an organic relationship between two brotherly nations”, he said. The President said that there is an overwhelming national consensus on CPEC. “All political leaders, political parties and stakeholders have been brought on board. The people of Balochistan are very optimistic for CPEC”, he said while adding that India has been trying to jeopardize peace in Pakistan by carrying out proxy wars in not only Balochistan but other areas of the country. “We have to brush aside these risks and stay the course”, he said.
The AJK President that CPEC must not be mistaken as a substitute for the growing Pakistani economy rather it shall act as a catalyst for economic transformation, modernize its industry, develop its maritime economy, build its human capital, and diversify its trading partners and sources of investment. Responding to a question, the President said that in 2015 when CPEC was finalized, the US State Department gave a very positive statement over this initiative saying it would help towards development. But later during the Trump administration, the US expressed reservations. India, he said objects because they cannot bear to see Pakistan economically progress.
India has contested that CPEC passes through a disputed territory (GB and AJK) – which in turn accentuates Pakistan’s stance that this area is a disputed territory while all the while India claims it as their “integral” part, he said. ”India’s claims lack clarity and are instead counter-intuitive”, said Masood Khan. President Masood said that India, the lynchpin of QUAD, has tried to garner the support of Australia, USA and Japan in an attempt to sabotage CPEC by claiming it to be a disruptive programme. “Despite the opposition of India and its allies, completion of the Corridor will not see any delays. We have to look at the bigger picture; this project not only benefits Pakistan and China but the whole region including CARs and Afghanistan.
President Masood Khan said that China has established its writ in the Galwan Valley during the recent Ladakh standoff with India. India, he said is facing national humiliation and their reaction is more of self-emulation rather than punitive. This standoff, said Masood Khan, will have an impact on the situation in IOJK as India brought Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir under union rule.
