KARACHI: The Military leadership is very much concerned about the success of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and the federal as well as provincial governments are likely to accord powers of police to the military for the security of this project of national importance.
Since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is out of the country and he is likely to stay out of the scene for some time, Chaudry Nisar along with military leadership is taking measures for the success of this mega-project of national importance.
Pakistan’s military is seeking a more active and formal role in the administration of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a collection of infrastructure projects in Pakistan supported by $46 billion in Chinese investment
The CPEC is a network of roads and rail links, which will link western China to the Arabian Sea through Pakistan’s Gwadar port. However, independent analysts see it as a move to venture into an area, which is predominantly under the civilian control. Currently, the security of the CPEC is already with the army and it has raised a strong force of about 15,000 personnel to protect the Chinese investment and its citizens.
Army chief General Raheel Sharif recently said for sustainability of the CPEC, transparency and good management were extremely important. He was speaking at a seminar on the CPEC held in Gwadar, Balochistan. The army chief also said socio-economic justice resulting from the balanced development would increase people’s stakes in national unity and cohesion.
It was learnt that sensitive agencies were keeping a strict vigil on political quarters opposing the project. Sources said that evidence into the wrongdoings and of such quarters had already been collected and soon legal action could be started against these elements.
It was known that military was also keeping check on the funding of terrorist and anti-social groups. Smuggling was the prime source of funding terrorists and Pakistan Customs has almost cracked the network of smugglers. Earlier, NGOs were being used to fund anti-social elements, but that door has also been closed. Moreover, borders are being closed with Afghanistan. Aliens are being sent back while CNIC cards are being re-verified.
Prominent people in the country including politicians, bureaucrats, military officers, judges and businessmen are under strict surveillance, as such prominent figures have been known to aiding and abetting terrorist and anti-social elements.
The China Pakistan Economic Corridor is a collection of projects currently under construction at a cost of $46 billion, which is intended to rapidly expand and upgrade Pakistani infrastructure, as well as deepen and broaden economic links between Pakistan and the People’s Republic of China.
The corridor is considered to be an extension of China’s ambitious proposed 21st century Silk Road initiative, and the importance of CPEC to China is reflected by its inclusion as part of China’s 13th five-year development plan.
Pakistani officials predict that the project will result in the creation of upwards of 700,000 direct jobs between 2015–2030, and add 2 to 2.5 percentage points to the country’s annual economic growth.[6] Should all the planned projects be implemented, the value of those projects would be equal to all foreign direct investment in Pakistan since 1970, and would be equivalent to 17% of Pakistan’s 2015 gross domestic product.