The week of September 4-9 was dominated by trouble in the parliament as it was revealed that Punjab is the recipient of 53% of all CPEC projects, as well as security related matters both in terms of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and bilateral defense strategy.
Punjab-Centric CPEC
The row over Punjab benefiting the most from CPEC was exacerbated further, as data revealed to the parliament showed 53% of the projects, or 176 of the 330 projects under CPEC, were in Punjab.[1] Just 8 of the 330 were in Balochistan. The political elite will continue to make the claim that as the province with the largest population, the biggest infrastructure, and the largest budget, this is the natural division of CPEC projects in the country. However, it will do little to placate detractors who have been decrying the lack of transparency and bemoaning Balochistan not receiving its due share.
Similarly, Dr. Masood Alam, Dr. Mushtaq, Awami Workers Party (AWP) leader Fanoos Gujjar, former Federal Minister Faqir Muhammad Khan, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (ideological) General Secretary Zubair Anjum have protested against the federal government. They alleged government for depriving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) of its due share in the CPEC.[2]
Security
In order to secure the execution of the CPEC, the Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar has claimed that a special security division (SSD) comprising of 9 infantry battalions of 6 CAF wings has been established at a cost of Rs. 21.57 billion.[3] This is a fairly significant development, as it provides a tangible number allocated to the safety and operation of the CPEC corridor.
In terms of bilateral security, in order to improve the defense and security cooperation, the long-term defense agreement with China has been discussed and finally approved by the cabinet.[4] This is a landmark move, as it will further cement the defense cooperation and ties between the two countries, especially in lieu of the pending CPEC project. The CPEC, especially, is slated to marry the futures of the two countries together and simultaneously tie together their strategic interests.
India’s Wariness
The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the first day of the G20 summit at the Hangzhou West Lake State Guest House. In the sideline meeting of G20 summit, both leaders intend to discuss the issue of CPEC and Indian membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).[5] Both are fairly thorny issues for India, which has seen pivoting from a strategy that was primarily designed to counter Pakistan, to one that is now designed to counter China. The fact that China has partnered with Pakistan on CPEC is a source of great discomfort for the Indian side, and as a key emerging US ally, it is in their best interest to derail it.
Additionally, the Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan made a very odd remark about the Indian concern regarding CPEC. His Excellency Gautam Bambawale underlined that India does not have any problem with the development of Pakistan via CPEC, but that its only concern is about the disputed route of the CPEC project.[6] The disputed route is very much an internal matter for Pakistan and its various provinces to manage, and while the Indian surface concern is appreciated, it does little to make up for the focused Indian lobbying against CPEC and development in Pakistan.
Industry and Development
The rhetoric surrounding CPEC continues this week with members of the parliament lauding the initiative as a source of industrial revolution in Pakistan.[7] Further, for the successful implementation of the CPEC, The Ministry of Railways has decided to set up new railway tracks around the country. The up gradation of existing tracks is also part of the plan.[8]
Within CPEC projects, the 820km Pakistan-China fiber optic cable project from Rawalpindi to Khunjerab, which was approved in May 2016, is will be completed by June 2018, costing $44 million.[9]
But perhaps the most interesting move came from the federal government, which decided to raise the cost of each CPEC project by 1 percent.[10] The purpose, ostensibly has been to raise the previously mentioned budget for the Special Security Division (SSD), designated to protect the CPEC.