I read this thread. I was surprised that People, even Pakistanis, can bash a project that is perhaps the single greatest thing that has happened to Pakistani Economy ever!
Now, let me clarify here, I am not claiming that China will not benefit from these projects, but that doesn't imply that Pakistan will not benefit as well. This is not a zero sum game.
Benefits to China:
1. Access to Gwadar and Indian Ocean for Xinjiang.
The biggest advantage, yet hugely overstated. This is more of a strategic advantage, to get an alternative route, and also to repopulate China by shifting a bit of the population to the west.
But, what you must understand is that THIS ROUTE IS NOT ECONOMIC! That is not for goods transferred from say Shanghai to Europe, simply because sea is very cheap. Very Very Cheap.
The only benefit of the whole Silk Road is to create opportunities in the west, to shift some population there.
2. Usage of excess Capacity in industries like Power Equipment, Solar etc.
3. Diversification and better returns on FX Reserves.
Benefits to Pakistan:
1. Setting up of a brand new Port, to act as a buffer and have a certain degree of redundancy.
2. Open a new trade link to China, Central Asia, and Iran, and also be a regional logistic and trade hub
3. Create Infrastructure that is a economic multiplier
From a previous post
Also, you are ignoring the secondary benefits of better infrastructure and energy!
Frankly, if China demands Pakistan that no Pakistani material or worker be used for the energy projects, it will be still very useful because the presence of reliable energy itself will be a force multiplier.
For eg. China's wages are as much as 6 times higher than Pakistan, and 4 times higher than India's.
Yet, China exports 35% of ALL TEXTILE in the world! And for now the share is only going up. That is due to better infrastructure, better training, and hence the productivity dividend.