CPEC

A Brief Introduction:
By: Danyal Khattak
Introduction:
• Infrastructure projects under construction throughout Pakistan.
• Will have a considerable effect on the near future of the country.
• Plans for a forerunner to the CPEC were drawn up all the way back in
1959.
• Was put on back burner due to instability in the country.
• Kickstarted at the turn of the century.
• First project in Gwadar was underway in 2002.
• Latest instalment under Nawaz Sharif.
Vision of the project:
Official vision of the project as quoted on the website:
To promote region-to-region connectivity through:
•Energy cooperation.
•Construction of spatial layout, functional zones, industries and industrial
parks.
•Agricultural development & poverty alleviation.
•Tourism cooperation and people-to-people communication.
•Cooperation in livelihood areas.
•Financial cooperation.
•Human Resource Development.
A road-map
of the CPEC
Impact of the project on Pakistan:
In order to fully understand the impact of the project we need to look
at it from different perspectives:

1. Economic
• Almost $62 billion dollars being added to the economy, which accounts
for almost 20% of the entire GDP of the nation. Which allowed for a GDP
growth from 4.7% in 2015 to 5.5% in 2016 (according to the World bank).
• The IMF predicts that a further $13 billion dollars will be added to the
economy by 2030.
• An estimated annual economic growth rate of 2.5% is expected till 2030
(Applied Economic research center)
Energy sector:
• The access to electricity in the rural sector increased from 90.3% in 2015 to
98.8% in 2016 (World Bank)
• Transmission and Distribution Losses went down to 16.5% in 2017 from
19% in 2015 (Ministry of Finance)
• Bill recoveries increased from 16% in 2015 to 19% in 2017 (Ministry of
Finance)
• Installed capacity of electricity is 29,573 MW in 2018, which was 22,812
MW in 2013 (Pakistan Economic Survey)
• Electricity generation increased from 96,496 GW/h to 117,326 GW/h
(Ministry of Finance)
• A total of $33.8 billion in energy project have added 12,230 Megawatts of
energy (Pakistan Economic Survey)
CPEC: A CORRIDOR OF
OPPORTUNITIES
“BENEFITS”
By: Eman Qadeer
BENEFITS
• ECONOMIC GROWTH:
Chinese investments will have a critical role. The investments include
power projects, infrastructural developments, Safe-city projects, tourism
enhancement and fiber connectivity. This indicates that there will be 5.21%
growth in social welfare in Pakistan, until 2020.
• CHINESE AGAINST TERRORISM:
With CPEC, China will have economic interests in Pakistan that it’ll have
to protect. The provision of security system will in return protect Pakistan
against terrorism and from India.
• TRANSPORTATION ADVANCEMENT
Reconstruction of Karakoram Highway of about 806 kilometers in length.
Eastern Alignment construction that would be a link to major industrial
areas as Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Gujranwala, Multan, Lahore, and Sialkot. It
will also be a link to major ports of Pakistan Karachi and Gwadar.
• ENERGY REVOLUTION:
About 70% of the total budget would be spent in this sector. With a deficiency
of about 4,500 MW, Pakistanis face a routine power cut of up to 5 hours per day.
It’s expected that by beginning of 2019, 10,400 MW of energy would be
generated as part of CPEC’s “Early Harvest” projects.
• CPEC Agriculture Projects :
Agriculture will start in Gilgit-Baltistan to increase fruit production such as
cherries, apricots, and apples. This will increase opportunities for export and
trade, which will further need people for the overlooking the growth,
production, and management of further harvesting of these crops.
• CPEC & HUMAN-RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT(HRD):
The economic agreement between two countries has pushed Pakistan’s
government to focus on the development of HRD. In this connection, planning
commission of Pakistan has approved the establishment of the state-of-the-art
university named as “ The University of The 21st Century” at the cost of PKR
9.780bn. The ministry is also planning to finalize the establishment of new
institutes in the country in general and in Gwadar (Balochistan) in particular.
• EFFECTS ON TOURISM INDUSTRY:
With reinforced roads, infrastructure, pipelines will make the pure tourist
spots accessible. With more of the feasibilities, there will be a massive increase
of the visitors exploring landscapes. Pakistan has the range of some of the
highest mountains in the world including K.2. Mountaineers from around the
world will flock to Pakistan as soon as CPEC is operational.
• LIVING STANDARD OF PEOPLE:
CPEC will provide thousands of opportunities to the local people i.e.
employment, business opportunities which will increase their income. This
project will provide access to basic amenities of life i.e. banking, market,
education, transportation and health. It will improve the living standard and lead
towards prosperity. There would be a significant rise in education.
• PEOPLE TO PEOPLE CONTACT:
CPEC will exchange the culture and tradition of China and Pakistan in the
entire region esp. in Pakistan and China. Moreover, it will promote regiona
cultures and heritage within the country.
• CONCLUSION:
CPEC is known as the Game Changer for Pakistan. It is a large-scale initiative to
build energy, highway, and port infrastructure to deepen economic connections
between China and Pakistan. This initiative has been well-received in both
countries. It will play a significant role in the development of Pakistan. It will
enable both the countries to attain mutual benefits and obtain win-win
outcomes.
Criticism and Opposition
By: Waqas Masood
Why India opposes CPEC ?

• CPEC faces opposition and criticism of INDIAN government.

• Indian government oppose CPEC on the grounds that the proposed

route for CPEC (existing Karakoram highway) passes through disputed
part of Kashmir.

• This accusation is used by India internationally.

 Real reasons behind Indian opposition.
• India wants to establish its hegemony in South Asia and doesnot want
Pakistan to be economically independent.

• The second reason is that India had never wanted that Pakistan-China
relations should get strengthened on a long-term basis.

• Most important reason is that India wants to undermine struggle of

Kashmiri people thats why Raw Indian intelligence backs insurgencies
and terrorism in Pakistan particularly Balochistan.
• Indian spy agent Kulbushan Jadev was caught from Balochistan and
he admitted that Indian intelligence agency (RAW) is funding terrorist
exercises in Pakistan.

• Attack on Chinese consulate in Karachi due to Pak-Beijing trade deals.