By Sualiha Nazar
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is set to bring peace and prosperity to the long-neglected province.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been making waves in the regional and international media. This project, an ambitious joint infrastructure project between Beijing and Islamabad, aims to give energy-hungry China an alternative route to the resource-rich Middle East. When completed, it will connect western China with the strategically important port of Gwadar, as well as cement Pakistan’s position as a strategically viable country in the region. With Russia set to benefit and Iran’s possible inclusion in the deal, no doubt remains that the project holds great promise for all stakeholders involved.
This might be especially true for the province at the heart of the project–Baluchistan. Situated in the southwestern region of the Pakistan, Baluchistan, a region rich in gas, gold and copper as well as untapped reserves of oil and uranium, has been rife with economic instability and political turmoil. The underdeveloped province’s problems stem from unfair state policies that largely ignored the region while continuing to exploit its natural resources. This neglect purportedly gave birth to Baloch nationalists and militants who have been waging a low-level insurgency against the Federal Government in Islamabad.
The province has been experiencing a Catch-22. The people of the province blame the government for not undertaking policies that would boost the development of the province; the government argues that the worsening security situation have made potential investors reluctant to invest in the area.
Read the full story at The Diplomat