Featured PM Imran refuses to accept Bajwa’s resignation as SAPM

[nahtanbob]

I agree, ideally they'd be more transparent. But I think the reason they do this with their investments, not just in Pakistan but all BRI projects, is partly to avoid exposure of their own companies and state-institutions to foreign scrutiny and public record. It's not really to do with us, a good example of this is that they of course shared the details with the government of Pakistan and all stakeholders here, but they deeply objected to sharing any info with Pakistan's multilateral western lenders of last resort like the IMF. They don't want prying eyes from other nations on their affairs, nor do they want the financial records of their BRI companies exposed to scrutiny by third-party foreign powers. You see CPEC for us is strategically and economically important, it's huge. Eqaully for the Chinese, this is a mega-project in which they've invested lots of money and political capital, it is the flagship project of Xi Jinping and also China's power projection internationally, it's understandable imo that they'd be protective.

Also, I believe it might be that they create bespoke deals for everyone too, financing terms and contractual agreements based on the project and nation. Meaning for example, the financing of a dam in Pakistan might have different conditions to Gwadar port, the financing terms of Hambantota port in Sri Lanka which was part financed by EXIM China might be very different to Gwadar's terms and arrangements, despite both being BRI port projects. Chinese probably want more freedom to tailor the project financing without comparisons between projects, with scrutiny also comes politicization, I think their philosophy is different the western model of transparency. This is just my own personal assessment, truth might be different.

And I fully agree with the rest of your post.

How hard is it for Western intelligence agencies to get hold of CPEC records from honest patriotic Pakistani bureaucrat ?

 

[Jungibaaz]

How hard is it for Western intelligence agencies to get hold of CPEC records from honest patriotic Pakistani bureaucrat ?

There’s so much I could say about this but I’ll keep it short.

How is hard would it be? Very easy. Especially since you don’t need to be an intel officer or spy to be able to pull basic public records and practise investigative journalism. Besides, any insinuation of this being a foreign plot is baseless, your point is completely hypothetical. The real issue is simply; does Asim Bajwa or his wife hold assets beyond means? And if so, should not the same level of accountability asked of politicians, judges and media also be applied to him. And should he be allowed to remain SAPM and CPEC authority head while these allegations continue to go unresolved.

And again I reiterate, he is one guy. He’s not CPEC. Derailing CPEC is not as easy as defaming the head of a the CPEC authority alone who’s barely been appointed for less than a year. CPEC is much bigger, and now strategically important for us. Asim Bajwa is plainly trying to deflect by bringing in CPEC to cover himself. I think it’s a cowardly tactic.

The irony is, the army’s own shenanigans by appointing their own guy as CPEC authority head, then creating an ordinance that gives people in that authority immunity and draconian powers. All while the head of that authority has serious questions about his wealth raised which he hasn’t clarified entirely, instead to deflect, refuse to remove that guy and then to use CPEC to deflect from the personal matter of Asim Bajwa’s wealth... THAT is the real damage to CPEC here.

 

[nahtanbob]

There’s so much I could say about this but I’ll keep it short.

How is hard would it be? Very easy. Especially since you don’t need to be an intel officer or spy to be able to pull basic public records and practise investigative journalism. Besides, any insinuation of this being a foreign plot is baseless, your point is completely hypothetical. The real issue is simply; does Asim Bajwa or his wife hold assets beyond means? And if so, should not the same level of accountability asked of politicians, judges and media also be applied to him. And should he be allowed to remain SAPM and CPEC authority head while these allegations continue to go unresolved.

And again I reiterate, he is one guy. He’s not CPEC. Derailing CPEC is not as easy as defaming the head of a the CPEC authority alone who’s barely been appointed for less than a year. CPEC is much bigger, and now strategically important for us. Asim Bajwa is plainly trying to deflect by bringing in CPEC to cover himself. I think it’s a cowardly tactic.

The irony is, the army’s own shenanigans by appointing their own guy as CPEC authority head, then creating an ordinance that gives people in that authority immunity and draconian powers. All while the head of that authority has serious questions about his wealth raised which he hasn’t clarified entirely, instead to deflect, refuse to remove that guy and then to use CPEC to deflect from the personal matter of Asim Bajwa’s wealth... THAT is the real damage to CPEC here.

We are not talking about one person's financial dealings

the easiest way to defuse opposition to CPECis to make everything open in the public domain. If it is benefical to Pakistan how hard could that be ? I am assuming no one in Pakistan or China is using the anonymity to skim off money.

 

[Jungibaaz]

We are not talking about one person's financial dealings

the easiest way to defuse opposition to CPECis to make everything open in the public domain. If it is benefical to Pakistan how hard could that be ? I am assuming no one in Pakistan or China is using the anonymity to skim off money.

My apologies, I misread your earlier quote, please excuse the rant.

On defusing CPEC related apprehensions. I think a good way is to take a dual approach, transparency from our side and then a brick wall where Chinese sensitive start.

I personally have seen plenty of CPEC project documentation that is a matter of public record. And as for the financing terms, I’ve read enough indication and overviews of cost of capital that is being given to us to be very happy indeed with the deals we are getting in these projects. Perhaps a more knowledgable member than me can shed some light on how to best approach the issue of transparency from our end without disturbing the Chinese.