Chinese Concerns about CPEC Must Be Taken Seriously
By Salahuddin Haider
Karachi, Pakistan
Twice in one week, the Chinese embassy in Islamabad, and the foreign ministry in Beijing, showed concern about the controversy raging over the “game-changer” plan of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which our most trusted neighbor has agreed to fund and execute.
Though mute, the concern demands urgent attention by the Pakistani government. The holding of two All-Parties Conferences—first by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and followed soon afterwards by the former Balochistan chief Minister Akhtar Mengal, were powerful messages reflecting the anxiety of smaller provinces about the efficacy of CPEC to contribute to their welfare.
True, speeches made at both these moots were neither inflammatory nor aggressive. Except for the remarks of Akhtar Mengal, who heads his own Balochistan National Party (BNP) which displayed divergent views about the fate of the Gwadar Port, all other participants, including Hasil Bijenjo, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, despite being supporters of the prime minister, could not hide their dissatisfaction over the approach of the federal administration on the sensitive subject.
Such a development was in itself a wake-up call for the party in power in Islamabad, and the majority Punjab province. Planning and development minister Ahsan Iqbal, representing the government at the second conference, did try to furnish details of the plan but remained unconvincing in his defense till the end. Doubts and suspicions continued to persist even after his detailed presentation.
The principal point of contention from the smaller provinces was not about the construction of roads, highways, bridges, culverts etc. It was about the setting up of economic zones in each of the four provinces on the five different routes chosen to connect Gwadar to China. Khyberpukhtoonkhaw chief minister, Pervez Khattak had been much more severer and scathing in his criticism of the government plan. He has repeatedly accused the federal government of changing the original plan presented at the first all-parties moot convened by the prime minister.
Dissatisfaction over the plan, involving 46 billion US dollars, has wittingly or unwittingly, been allowed to become controversial, which eventually forced the Chinese government to express its anxiety about its execution.
To put it plainly, a leading Chinese diplomat some two months ago, had asked me as to why the Pakistan government, was not presenting its economic priorities to allow the plan to kick-off. I was alarmed by his comments but thought it inopportune to air them lest the government accused me of spreading public discontent. Prior to that a few months ago, our Chinese friends looked worried about the CPEC becoming a political football. I merely tried to pacify their concern by telling them that some ill-conceived views were being aired by special interest groups opposed to the government, but I could clearly feel that my explanations did not appear to convince them.
The cat was finally out of the bag when two successive Chinese statements flowed from Islamabad and Beijing within a short span of time. What adds to the prevailing problems is the position taken up by the Peoples Party, whose parliamentary leaders in the National Assembly and the Senate, Khurshid Shah and Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan respectively, demanded an open debate on the floor of the two houses for the satisfaction of the general public. Even PPP MNA Nafeesa Shah felt that development plans on the CPEC route are being diverted to “just one province” The MQM parliamentarians too looked unhappy which was evident from their speeches in the two houses of the parliament.
This is a grave situation, yet not much has been lost and in the present circumstances heavy responsibility rests on the prime minister. He and army chief General Raheel Sharif had been issuing clarifications repeatedly about the huge benefits from the CPEC, but while Raheel Sharif is clearly handicapped by being apolitical office holder, Nawaz Sharif, elected on popular votes, has to respond to the objections in much greater detail than he had been doing so far.
Either on television, or at a representative gathering of the stake holders, he has to clearly outline the economic corridor plan, where Chinese and Pakistanis have to have a joint venture for developing various areas through soft or hard loans from Beijing, or by Chinese companies' own investments.
Each and every plan for such developments needs to be placed before the people of Pakistan in crystal clear and unambiguous terms. Clouds of doubts need to be dispelled quickly, lest they turn ominous. The plan must be debated in the parliament where all kinds of views are expected to be aired and suspicions erased. This is the need of the time, a pressing call of the hour.
