No stopping China-Pakistan Economic Corridor despite unrest, security risks and growing debt

More than 50 people were killed in late August during multiple attacks in Pakistan’s impoverished southwestern province of Balochistan. Despite extensive infrastructure investments made in the region, mostly through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a decades-long insurgency has only intensified, raising concerns about the sustainability of ongoing and future investments.

What is CPEC?

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a major infrastructure project in Pakistan, launched in 2015 as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. It aims to enhance economic connectivity between China and Pakistan by developing a network of roads, railways, pipelines and energy projects. The initiative also includes the construction of the Gwadar Port located on the Arabian Sea. The 3,000-kilometre corridor, stretching from China’s Xinjiang region to Gwadar, is valued at approximately USD 62 billion.

The attacks in Balochistan follow a similar pattern. Separatist militant groups, such as the banned Balochistan Liberation Army and Balochistan Liberation Front, have long targeted Pakistani security forces and Chinese nationals, accusing them of exploiting the province’s resources. In Gwadar, home to the port often hailed as the crown jewel of the Belt and Road Initiative, resentment is growing among local communities, particularly fishermen, who have protested against the construction and the lack of basic amenities like water and electricity in...

Read more