"Our bets on CPEC may not necessarily pay off " : Abdullah Ansari

[I S I]

No worries.. As a game changer of South Asia I am interested in CPEC..

k

 

[Verve]

If transport infrastructure and connectivity of people doesn't help them improve their lives then roads etc shouldn't be built at all!

Living standards of people improve when they can move about easily. It opens opportunities. But idiots writing such nonsense do not understand or are a propaganda machine.

 

[Wen Ling]

Agree, considering that this 46Billion dollar amount will not be a freebie but it's a loan on a hefty markup so they(China) should atleast fund security cost.

That will be national sovereignty issue. you have ask Pakistan Military first.

 

[I S I]

That will be national sovereignty issue. you have ask Pakistan Military first.

How paying for project security would be any kind of national security issue lol? We're not demanding your soldiers to come & protect the assets.

 

[Meengla]

There will ALWAYS be naysayers about projects of such large scope as there have always been! But I, for one, remain confident that this project is far better than the stagnation in Pakistan's economy.

As for the argument about the cost of the security forces--I don't think that has much bearing. Pakistan has abundant cheap and unemployed manpower available and the security forces themselves are probably not going to be required in large numbers once the infrastructure is well established--but at this point, it is important to have the infra at least built and hence no sabotage should be allowed.

Also, by the hype created about CPEC in forums like this, in this day and age, it's best for such projects to be 'noticed' then to be ignored. Rumors and news go 'viral'. That can propel CPEC further.

Human beings are not always calculating accountant making cold hard decisions--the hype is a great and almost free marketing tool.

 

[Wen Ling]

How paying for project security would be any kind of national security issue lol? We're not demanding your soldiers to come & protect the assets.

The CPEC for the large part is commercial project, which is why Pakistan government likes it. It is NOT an aid. Does the host government has a responsibility for the safety of any investment?
That China pioneered the gigantic investment to a country which is not even stabilized is of course due to the long enduring friendship of Pakistan and Pakistan's significant strategic position. But did you see any other rich country invest so much in Pakistan at once? Yes, China is looking for profit, but that does not make China ill-intentioned or bad-managed on this project. To be honest, It is Chinese that should be worried, because Pakistan is not well-organized and managed as China do, and I am also suspecious about some Pakistanis' endurance and self-sacrifice to their own country.
Let me repeat this claim: the significance of CPEC is because it is a seed project for Pakistan, if you only looks for the profit inches ahead of your eyes, you will always lose the whole picture. CPEC is like a vessel of human body. With vessel ready, blood can run, money can move, then industry will be there, capital can be accumulated. I suggest you have a thorough study of Chinese history of industrialization.
One warning before the CPEC complete, do not expect CPEC will reduce the troubles that Pakistan will have. It is opposite, the richer, the more industrialized, the more problem that Pakistan will have (largely due the resulted social/cultural impact and uneven distribution of wealth)
If you want to know how a middle-age country moved to a modern age, the Chinese modern history starting from 1927 (yes, not only the last 30 years!) is good sample for Pakistan people to study.
The stuff that you learned from American/British media/books may all be wrong because the reason that they can have a good life is to let the countries like us never industrialized. Why do you think that USA + Europe is in trouble?because they cannot got the high profits by monopoly on IPs and patents. But China obtained them by 7 decades of concerted efforts, even by blood.
Most Pakistanis will agree that Deng Xiaoping was great, but may not Mao. The truth is Mao's contribution on industrialization of China was much great than Deng's. of course it does not deny Deng's greatness either.
here is one short post that I have written on part of this matter:
https://appliedhistoryblog.wordpres...ldnt-there-be-a-new-china-without-mao-zedong/

 

[Meengla]

Most Pakistanis will agree that Deng Xiaoping was great, but may not Mao. The truth is Mao's contribution on industrialization of China was much great than Deng's. of course it does not deny Deng's greatness either.
here is one short post that I have written on part of this matter:
https://appliedhistoryblog.wordpres...ldnt-there-be-a-new-china-without-mao-zedong/

Mao beat the Western lackey Chiang Kai Shek and so its almost impossible to find positive opinions about him outside of China--remember that: Global opinion is formed in a large part by American media outlets in cahoots with some European media outlets!
I think Mao is criticised even in China but people like Mao and Nehru (in India) gave the political stability to their respective fledgling countries; Pakistan, on the other hand, lost its founding father Jinnah after barely one year of her birth.

 

[Finer]

That means CPEC will pay off in the big time.

 

[Wen Ling]

That means CPEC will pay off in the big time.

If you mean 10~15 years is a big time, then yes.

 

[Max]

well CPEC is more important for China then Pakistan..

For Pakistan's growth energy crisis and security situation was main problems, Operation zarb e Azb improved security situation, while under CPEC more then 10,000 MW projects are underway which are about to complete by 2018.

If we solve these two problems by 2018 no one can stop above 7% growth of Pakistan.. anything other like controling corruption, duties, taxes coming from CPEC would be plus.

 

[Danish saleem]

Its funny how Indians can only find negative articles on CPEC

if India thinks nothing to worry about then why India Giving Air tickets just for Rs:6000/- to Afghan Nationals??

 

[Finer]

If you mean 10~15 years is a big time, then yes.

That's how long it normally takes. Rome didn't build in one day. Similarity, Karachi didn't become major economical port overnight, but that economical port carried Pakistan for so long, and with another economical port that on board should put Pakistan in the good position in the foreseeable future.


Unfortunately, Imranistan lacks patient and so does Imran Khan.

 

[khanmubashir]

Its funny that its a blog on Pakistani News website and instead of critiquing the piece you are moaning that an Indian posted it .

as u said blog not some real jounalist article

 

[Mo12]

I dont get it, i've been reading for years how cpec will make pakistan one of the fastest growing economy in the world

so why he talking negative about cpec?

 

[khanmubashir]

Our bets on CPEC may not necessarily pay off

In Pakistan, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been trending for a few months. Like ‘Brexit’, CPEC is also a big step. Hence, any news related to CPEC spreads like fire. If you are attending an intellectual gathering, be up-to-date with the project. I’ve observed that CPEC is a hot topic at these get-togethers.

There’s no doubt that CPEC is important for Pakistan and it plays a pivotal role in regional politics, but it has been blown out of proportion thanks to print and electronic media. It seems that clock manufacturers in Switzerland are more concerned about CPEC than the precision of their clocks. And drug dealers in Mexico are planning to relocate their businesses to Gilgit-Baltistan so they can benefit from the project. Everything that happens or does not happen, all relies on CPEC.

Our regime uses this hysteria-type approach for a reason; it provides them a lollypop that can be fed to the masses for all the right and wrong reasons. For example, Balochistan has experienced the worst terrorist activities in recent months, and the government’s main point of discussion seems to remain CPEC – that too in this regard. It looks like all the enemies of Pakistan are targeting Balochistan only to destroy CPEC. CPEC-hysteria has aggravated to such intensity that we’ve failed to realise the obvious – was Balochistan peaceful before CPEC was initiated?

Another senseless claim made by the government is how CPEC is a ‘game-changer’ for the poor, deprived and neglected people of Balochistan. It seems that episodes of natural gas exploration from Sui and Reko Diq mine are on repeat telecast, which were also declared as ‘fortune-turners’ for the largest province of Pakistan.

Years – in fact, decades – have passed and the living conditions of the local people are getting worse day by day. In my opinion, CPEC will be yet another addition to this list of game-changers that have brought nothing but loot and plunder for the people of Balochistan. You may call me the promoter of provincial disharmony, but it’s a brute fact that Balochistan has always been treated as an unimportant, trivial and sometimes, unwanted part of Pakistan.

Keeping all pessimistic analysis aside, even if I look ahead with the hope of the CPEC dream coming true, I do not see Pakistan becoming a regional leader. CPEC is actually designed by China, for China. It will use Pakistan as a pathway to increase its access to global markets. The local industry of Pakistan will face a huge blow which, in current condition, will prove fatal. Cheap products from China have already elbowed out local products from almost every household. I still remember the Picasso ball point pen from Shahsons that became an instant hit and its tick-tock sound was everywhere. A few years down the line, you barely see it being used as Chinese pens are now available at less than half the price. Local entrepreneurs do not stand a chance at competing with an economy-of-scale manufacturer like China. With CPEC, China can access all of Pakistan, resulting in Chinese goods becoming even cheaper.


CPEC is a trade route. If trade routes can turn the tables for nations, Egypt would have been the world’s biggest power as it controls the Suez Canal which alone generates billions of dollars in revenue. The world is run by those who use that route – not by those who collect the toll tax.

http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/43475/our-bets-on-cpec-may-not-necessarily-pay-off/

The most poignant part of the article is; "CPEC is a trade route. If trade routes can turn the tables for nations, Egypt would have been the world’s biggest power as it controls the Suez Canal which alone generates billions of dollars in revenue. The world is run by those who use that route – not by those who collect the toll tax."

It is true that Suez is a huge income earner for Egypt. It is also true that economically Egypt is far better off than Pakistan is at present. In order for Pakistan to attain parity with Egypt creating this infrastructure will certainly help. At this particular moment in time, there is no other source of $50 Billion dollars infrastructure investments available to Pakistan-and Pakistan badly needs investment. Pakistan may not become a "World Biggest Power" because it is geographically, population-wise, industrially and in terms of brain trust / technical innovation lacks overwhelming advantages. But going back into history Venice was a key trading center on the Silk Route which enabled it to become very prosperous and wealthy. Wealth allowed Venetians to gain influence and power in Europe just like UAE and Singapore are beneficiaries of trade through their home ports. It will be up to Paks' ingenuity to create wealth and prosperity from a busy port and use that national wealth to gain international influence. No one else can do it for you.

Our bets on CPEC may not necessarily pay off

In Pakistan, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been trending for a few months. Like ‘Brexit’, CPEC is also a big step. Hence, any news related to CPEC spreads like fire. If you are attending an intellectual gathering, be up-to-date with the project. I’ve observed that CPEC is a hot topic at these get-togethers.

There’s no doubt that CPEC is important for Pakistan and it plays a pivotal role in regional politics, but it has been blown out of proportion thanks to print and electronic media. It seems that clock manufacturers in Switzerland are more concerned about CPEC than the precision of their clocks. And drug dealers in Mexico are planning to relocate their businesses to Gilgit-Baltistan so they can benefit from the project. Everything that happens or does not happen, all relies on CPEC.

Our regime uses this hysteria-type approach for a reason; it provides them a lollypop that can be fed to the masses for all the right and wrong reasons. For example, Balochistan has experienced the worst terrorist activities in recent months, and the government’s main point of discussion seems to remain CPEC – that too in this regard. It looks like all the enemies of Pakistan are targeting Balochistan only to destroy CPEC. CPEC-hysteria has aggravated to such intensity that we’ve failed to realise the obvious – was Balochistan peaceful before CPEC was initiated?

Another senseless claim made by the government is how CPEC is a ‘game-changer’ for the poor, deprived and neglected people of Balochistan. It seems that episodes of natural gas exploration from Sui and Reko Diq mine are on repeat telecast, which were also declared as ‘fortune-turners’ for the largest province of Pakistan.

Years – in fact, decades – have passed and the living conditions of the local people are getting worse day by day. In my opinion, CPEC will be yet another addition to this list of game-changers that have brought nothing but loot and plunder for the people of Balochistan. You may call me the promoter of provincial disharmony, but it’s a brute fact that Balochistan has always been treated as an unimportant, trivial and sometimes, unwanted part of Pakistan.

Keeping all pessimistic analysis aside, even if I look ahead with the hope of the CPEC dream coming true, I do not see Pakistan becoming a regional leader. CPEC is actually designed by China, for China. It will use Pakistan as a pathway to increase its access to global markets. The local industry of Pakistan will face a huge blow which, in current condition, will prove fatal. Cheap products from China have already elbowed out local products from almost every household. I still remember the Picasso ball point pen from Shahsons that became an instant hit and its tick-tock sound was everywhere. A few years down the line, you barely see it being used as Chinese pens are now available at less than half the price. Local entrepreneurs do not stand a chance at competing with an economy-of-scale manufacturer like China. With CPEC, China can access all of Pakistan, resulting in Chinese goods becoming even cheaper.


CPEC is a trade route. If trade routes can turn the tables for nations, Egypt would have been the world’s biggest power as it controls the Suez Canal which alone generates billions of dollars in revenue. The world is run by those who use that route – not by those who collect the toll tax.

http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/43475/our-bets-on-cpec-may-not-necessarily-pay-off/

The respected writer forget that out of USD 42 billion, only USD 8 billion is allocated for road and railway infrastructure. Substantial part is allocated to energy and free economic zones. Which will generate jobs and have long-term sustainability.