CPEC – Conspiracies and Dangers
THERE have been a lot of high level meetings with regard to CEPC threats. Let’s examine reality.
About seven years ago when the CEPC agreement was inked formally, I had written, based on my experience, warning that although the agreement is signed, there will be multiple threats ahead.
It will not be well received, that there will be political, strategic and economic factors driving the opponents of this project. With the passage of time these threats did materialize.
I postulated that CEPC is not going to be an easy going project. Gwadar highway and port are going to be a sore point in the eyes of those who will not like Pakistan to develop.
For the simple reason it hits the strategic interests of Americans, Europeans, including India and for that matter economically, the Gulf States.
Gulf States from the last 50 years have been enjoying monopolistic sway in the region.
Though the states call themselves Muslims states but their interests are multidimensional and they only care for business and interests.
With their permissiveness in society they have permitted the freedom to Westerners to do whatever they like. Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other cities have been developed on the same pattern.
The cities offer free movement of foreign currencies and workers are the hub of transit treat. This suited Americans and Europeans who were in need of midway stations available for international trade between the West and Far East.
It also attracted many Indians, Iranians and Pakistanis to invest in the cities being the safe heavens to dump money and ill gotten wealth.
The result, these countries including Pakistan saw the drainage of the resources to these cities.
These became hubs of transfer of funds, to safe havens in the West; the invested funds are then converted into real estate. They offered jobs, mostly lower level and middle level, to Pakistanis and others in return.
There is no doubt the prosperity of these states is a direct result of the money drained from regional countries mostly, Iran, India and Pakistan.
In the fifties/ sixties Karachi used to be a transit hub but all vanished due to flow of this money and in seventies onward ethnic policies of then government human migration and out flow of funds increased.
There is no doubt the CPEC route offers China a saving of thousands of kilometres of sea route through the Indian oceans and South China Sea.
The sea route remains seriously threatened by the USA and its allies. They are in a position to threaten the Chinese trade in case of conflict. They are interfering in the international waters.
The formation of QUAD AND NOW AUKUS is a direct effort to contain China. The case of nuclear submarine, space violations by US fighter aircraft is the case in hand. How situation can develop and conflict initiated.
CPEC offers tremendous economic benefits to China, Pakistan and Central Asia including Russia.
CPEC is part of the greater plan of BRI. Therefore there should be no doubt that every effort will be made by these powers to disrupt and sabotage CPEC.
To achieve these objectives these powers have been using multiple methods and strategies, i.e. from military force options, shadowy actions supported by hybrid Warfare and even under cover actions. Fake propaganda is presently at peak.
CPEC success is the key for the prosperity of Pakistan, BRI and the region in general.
Security is a multi-dimensional issue. There are elements within Pakistan who are always ready to play cards of these powers for their narrow political interests.
Then, the funding and active support to nationalist forces is not hidden by anti CPEC. Growing above and subversive activities are indicative of their activities.
In Balochistan, we face not only BLA but splinter groups. Lately rural Sindh is rife with subversive activity which is directly supported by India.
There is renewed tension on the India-China border where the PLA is establishing forward positions. China claims Ladakh is now a sovereignty issue and so is the area of Arunachal Pradesh.
China is well prepared to change the character of war from conventional to IT based and use celestial communications, whereas General Naravane is sticking to conventional boots on ground. India considers Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan and Ladakh are in conflict one war sector.
Thus in case of conflict moving from grey to red, CPEC will be under threat of attack. Similarly, financial pressure is increasing, and the IMF’s ‘do more mantra’ is a clear signal. Dollar vs. Pak Rupee parity going down is another signal.
Incognito elements that are not even in Parliament and all under investigation are being encouraged by way of giving them time. Normally it is against diplomatic norms.
Fake news stories are being spread as inflation is only Pakistan-specific problem and CPEC being made a target.
It is, therefore, important to tighten the lower and upper bureaucracy to improve governance.
English newspapers do give coverage to CPEC but mainstream Urdu and regional media lack the drive to inform masses of the progress being made.
Similarly, social media is an important vehicle to keep masses informed. Progress on different segments be regularly informed through this media, working under CPEC Authority.
Similarly people be informed why there is delay in the Karachi-Lahore CPEC railway project.
It must be given the highest importance. It is not only a relief to the masses but has strategic and economic benefits. It must be initiated immediately. CPEC physical security requirements vary region wise from Gwadar, Punjab and KPK.
May be integrated (Ground, Air and Sea), CPEC Command created if not already there.
