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Balochistan, CPEC and the Roads to Development
Published inHilal English May 2016
Written By: Husain Abdul Rehman
The word Balochistan was synonymous with the images of rugged mountains, parched valleys and gigantic plains but alongside; the desolation, isolation and insurgency also flashed before the eyes. These images are now bound to change because of the solid foundations of grassroot development being laid throughout the province.
With the development of Gwadar Port and inception of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Balochistan is emerging out of isolation into the limelight. The 193 km section of Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab Motorway (M-8) constructed by Pakistan Army was inaugurated by the Prime Minister and COAS on February 3, 2016. In all, laying of 873 km road network throughout the province is undergoing at a fast pace.
The Desolate Desert
The M-8 originates from Dasht area which literally means desert but even beyond, Makran finds its place in history as a dry and barren land. Water is scarce and it was difficult to move between the sun scorched valleys. It was here, centuries ago that Alexander the conqueror tasted a bitter defeat (October 325 B.C.), not by the enemy but from scorching heat and harsh climate.
Water was scarce and the food rare. Animals perished and men, overcome by heat and thirst, fell by the wayside and perished in sand. The marching columns hesitated to stop and help their own death.
It was a land of extremes, even the scarce availability of water was offset by the rare but ferocious floods that drained the jagged peaks of Central Makran Range and the Coastal Range and came gushing down like a torrent to vanish in the Arabian Sea. It was one such flood at midnight that swept away a large number of troops of the sleeping army of Alexander which had camped by a nearly dry river bed to remain near the drinking water.
Such were the vagaries of weather and climate which made the area largely inhospitable. Population remained scarce, and scattered, and no worthwhile development – economic or social – could take place.
The Geo-Strategic Importance
However, like the oasis in the desert, Makran too had its share of strengths. The 771 km long coastline of Balochistan had various natural harbours frequently anchored by the seafarers of Indus, Arabia and Africa that maintained active trade relations. The land trade was even more active. Makran was in between the great civilizations of India and Persia and acted as a convenient trade corridor for the caravans crossing into each. It was thus that the cities of Turbat, Panjgur and Bela served as important transit points. The date palm trees of Makran remind of the Arab influence which ingressed into the area via Persia.
Up in the North, the town of Quetta had a great geo-strategic importance. For centuries the Bolan Pass remained a preferred access for travelling to Southern Afghanistan and the ruins of Mehr Garh and Amri that lie on this route remind us of the sprawling cities of Indus civilization situated on this route. From Karachi the Quetta-Kandahar-Kabul axis was the shortest among the various routes that were connected with Afghanistan.
The warm waters of Pakistan’s Arabian Sea coasts serve as natural choice for the huge landlocked region comprising Afghanistan, Central Asia and Western China. The access to these regions from Gwadar and Karachi is the shortest and most convenient and no doubt the CPEC will benefit one third of the world’s population residing in the proximity of CPEC axis. The enthusiasm for CPEC can be gauged from the response of the governments of Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asian countries who have expressed their keenness to join CPEC.
Opening Up of Balochistan
The vast stretches of Makran, however, remained isolated from the mainland for a long time primarily due to the absence of durable and dependable roads. The setting up of Gwadar Port came up as a big catalyst for the development of Makran, however, its viability was contingent upon convenient and dependable roads to connect it with the rest of the country particularly with Karachi, Quetta and Indus Highway.
Makran Coastal Highway
The 650 km long Makran Coastal Highway was the first of these roads taken up to connect Gwadar with Karachi. FWO started construction of this road in July 2000. The start point was village Liari lying about a hundred kilometres from Karachi on the road leading to Quetta, also known as the RCD Highway. The highway till Gwadar was completed by September 2004 and couple of years later the road was extended to Jiwani and finally to the Pak-Iran border at Gabd in June 2011 thereby providing us with a second link with the brotherly country (the first one being Quetta-Zahidan RCD Highway). With the completion of Makran Coastal Highway the 48 hours journey from Karachi to Gwadar was reduced to a mere 7 hours and the living standards of the coastal communities improved tremendously.
The construction of Gwadar-Quetta link (N-85) and Gwadar-Indus Highway link (M-8) was taken up soon afterwards. However by that time the whole area was pushed into turmoil by instigating militancy and extremism. There were many powers who did not want Gwadar Port and Balochistan to succeed and a wave of terror was unleashed into the length and breadth of the province. “There would have been no militancy in Balochistan had there been no Gwadar Port,” opined a prominent citizen of Makran.
The Resolve and Determination for Progress
Just a few years back, the dream of a prosperous Balochistan envisioned with the inception of Gwadar Port was nowhere near. Rather the peaceful land of Makran was engulfed in flames due to the ravaging militancy. It was under these circumstances that Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif conveyed his determination to bring Balochistan out of this chaos and at par with the rest of the country. “The CPEC and Gwadar Port will be built and developed as one of the most strategic deep sea ports in the region at all costs,” resolved the COAS during a recent visit to Turbat and Panjgur.
Connecting Balochistan
FWO was tasked to lay a network of roads for the much needed connectivity of Gwadar Port with upcountry as part of CPEC. The Frontier Corps was tasked to maintain the law and order throughout the vast province, especially along the highways.
FWO is presently constructing 873 km of roads in Balochistan as part of Western Route of CPEC to operationalize Gwadar Deep Sea Port by enhancing its connectivity. The road projects being undertaken are:
Hoshab-Turbat-Gwadar Section (M-8) 193 Km
Khuzdar-Shahdadkot Section (M-8) 58 Km
Sorab-Besima-Nag-Panjgur (N-85) 430 Km
Kalat-Quetta-Chaman Road (N-25) 110 Km
Wagum-Rud-Khajuri Road (N-70) 64 Km
M-8 Motorway
The M-8 Motorway reflects the vision of a progressive Balochistan. It is the first motorway of the province which will connect Gwadar with Indus Highway. The alignment of this road goes along Gwadar, Turbat, Hoshab, Awaran, Khuzdar and Rattodero (near Larkana). Traversing through the vast expanse of interior Balochistan the highway shall usher in a new era of socio-economic development and prosperity. Presently the trade trucks going upcountry have to take the longer route via Karachi which results in increase of logistic costs. With the direct and shorter route of M-8 the distance from Gwadar to Indus Highway will be reduced by nearly 400 km.
The Gwadar, Turbat, Hoshab section of M-8 is a vital part of CPEC’s Western, Central and Eastern Routes and will serve all Gwadar bound traffic. The road has been constructed by FWO in most challenging and hostile terrain and security environment.
N-85 Highway
The N-85 Highway is also known as the Gwadar-Quetta link. It starts from Hoshab and moves northwards towards Quetta passing through Panjgur-Besima and Sorab from where it merges with the Karachi-Quetta Highway (N-25) at Kalat. The 448 km highway passes through the remote towns of interior Balochistan and provides a direct and shorter link between Gwadar and Quetta. Construction of this highway was a big challenge due to harsh terrain and security hazards. FWO has mobilized its resources at 14 locations to complete the project this year. The highway is being regarded as a catalyst for the progress and development of interior Balochistan.
Kalat-Quetta-Chaman Road
The Kalat-Quetta-Chaman road (N-25) serves as an important trade route between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The 230 km long road is divided into four sections of which Section 1 and 3 have been completed while Section 2 i.e., Khad Koocha to Quetta (54 km) and Section 4 i.e., Jungle Piralizai to Chaman (57 km) are being completed by FWO. Also known as RCD Highway this road constitutes the shortest access from Gwadar and Karachi ports to Afghanistan. Substantial progress has been achieved and the project is scheduled to be completed this year.
Despite serious logistic constraints in wake of remoteness of the area and unfavourable security situation, Pak Army is determined to complete this onerous but formidable task within stipulated timeline. The FWO has already completed 648 km of roads out of 873 km, which is a record by any international standard. Completion of these projects by end of 2016 would effectively link Gwadar Deep Sea Port with China through Karakoram Highway (KKH), Afghanistan and Central Asia through Chaman, Central Trade Corridor and Torkham.
Besides road building, FWO is leading army’s main effort against 4th and 5th Generation Warfare in Balochistan waged by ‘violent non-state actors’ and ‘violent state-sponsored proxies’ of the CPEC opposing forces from within and outside to forestall and jeopardise its implementation. FWO has strived for the development of Balochistan with its toil, sweat and blood and to this date 44 of its valiant sons including 18 civilian contractual employees have embraced martyrdom for this noble cause.
Impact of Development
It is also encouraging to note that recently conducted impact study in areas adjacent to the projects reveal that local populace is cooperating and is increasingly becoming supportive of development works. The development initiatives have positively affected the lives of common people by making commuting convenient and time saving for work, education and health needs. Moreover, overall law and order situation has also been improved. Desperate and frustrated militants are gradually surrendering. This is a great win against terrorism.
The writer is currently serving at the Frontier Works Organisation as Public Relations Officer.
Published inHilal English May 2016
Written By: Husain Abdul Rehman
The word Balochistan was synonymous with the images of rugged mountains, parched valleys and gigantic plains but alongside; the desolation, isolation and insurgency also flashed before the eyes. These images are now bound to change because of the solid foundations of grassroot development being laid throughout the province.
With the development of Gwadar Port and inception of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Balochistan is emerging out of isolation into the limelight. The 193 km section of Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab Motorway (M-8) constructed by Pakistan Army was inaugurated by the Prime Minister and COAS on February 3, 2016. In all, laying of 873 km road network throughout the province is undergoing at a fast pace.
The Desolate Desert
The M-8 originates from Dasht area which literally means desert but even beyond, Makran finds its place in history as a dry and barren land. Water is scarce and it was difficult to move between the sun scorched valleys. It was here, centuries ago that Alexander the conqueror tasted a bitter defeat (October 325 B.C.), not by the enemy but from scorching heat and harsh climate.
Water was scarce and the food rare. Animals perished and men, overcome by heat and thirst, fell by the wayside and perished in sand. The marching columns hesitated to stop and help their own death.
Such were the vagaries of weather and climate which made the area largely inhospitable. Population remained scarce, and scattered, and no worthwhile development – economic or social – could take place.
The Geo-Strategic Importance
However, like the oasis in the desert, Makran too had its share of strengths. The 771 km long coastline of Balochistan had various natural harbours frequently anchored by the seafarers of Indus, Arabia and Africa that maintained active trade relations. The land trade was even more active. Makran was in between the great civilizations of India and Persia and acted as a convenient trade corridor for the caravans crossing into each. It was thus that the cities of Turbat, Panjgur and Bela served as important transit points. The date palm trees of Makran remind of the Arab influence which ingressed into the area via Persia.
Up in the North, the town of Quetta had a great geo-strategic importance. For centuries the Bolan Pass remained a preferred access for travelling to Southern Afghanistan and the ruins of Mehr Garh and Amri that lie on this route remind us of the sprawling cities of Indus civilization situated on this route. From Karachi the Quetta-Kandahar-Kabul axis was the shortest among the various routes that were connected with Afghanistan.
The warm waters of Pakistan’s Arabian Sea coasts serve as natural choice for the huge landlocked region comprising Afghanistan, Central Asia and Western China. The access to these regions from Gwadar and Karachi is the shortest and most convenient and no doubt the CPEC will benefit one third of the world’s population residing in the proximity of CPEC axis. The enthusiasm for CPEC can be gauged from the response of the governments of Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asian countries who have expressed their keenness to join CPEC.
Opening Up of Balochistan
The vast stretches of Makran, however, remained isolated from the mainland for a long time primarily due to the absence of durable and dependable roads. The setting up of Gwadar Port came up as a big catalyst for the development of Makran, however, its viability was contingent upon convenient and dependable roads to connect it with the rest of the country particularly with Karachi, Quetta and Indus Highway.
Makran Coastal Highway
The 650 km long Makran Coastal Highway was the first of these roads taken up to connect Gwadar with Karachi. FWO started construction of this road in July 2000. The start point was village Liari lying about a hundred kilometres from Karachi on the road leading to Quetta, also known as the RCD Highway. The highway till Gwadar was completed by September 2004 and couple of years later the road was extended to Jiwani and finally to the Pak-Iran border at Gabd in June 2011 thereby providing us with a second link with the brotherly country (the first one being Quetta-Zahidan RCD Highway). With the completion of Makran Coastal Highway the 48 hours journey from Karachi to Gwadar was reduced to a mere 7 hours and the living standards of the coastal communities improved tremendously.
The Resolve and Determination for Progress
Just a few years back, the dream of a prosperous Balochistan envisioned with the inception of Gwadar Port was nowhere near. Rather the peaceful land of Makran was engulfed in flames due to the ravaging militancy. It was under these circumstances that Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif conveyed his determination to bring Balochistan out of this chaos and at par with the rest of the country. “The CPEC and Gwadar Port will be built and developed as one of the most strategic deep sea ports in the region at all costs,” resolved the COAS during a recent visit to Turbat and Panjgur.
Connecting Balochistan
FWO was tasked to lay a network of roads for the much needed connectivity of Gwadar Port with upcountry as part of CPEC. The Frontier Corps was tasked to maintain the law and order throughout the vast province, especially along the highways.
FWO is presently constructing 873 km of roads in Balochistan as part of Western Route of CPEC to operationalize Gwadar Deep Sea Port by enhancing its connectivity. The road projects being undertaken are:
Hoshab-Turbat-Gwadar Section (M-8) 193 Km
Khuzdar-Shahdadkot Section (M-8) 58 Km
Sorab-Besima-Nag-Panjgur (N-85) 430 Km
Kalat-Quetta-Chaman Road (N-25) 110 Km
Wagum-Rud-Khajuri Road (N-70) 64 Km
M-8 Motorway
The M-8 Motorway reflects the vision of a progressive Balochistan. It is the first motorway of the province which will connect Gwadar with Indus Highway. The alignment of this road goes along Gwadar, Turbat, Hoshab, Awaran, Khuzdar and Rattodero (near Larkana). Traversing through the vast expanse of interior Balochistan the highway shall usher in a new era of socio-economic development and prosperity. Presently the trade trucks going upcountry have to take the longer route via Karachi which results in increase of logistic costs. With the direct and shorter route of M-8 the distance from Gwadar to Indus Highway will be reduced by nearly 400 km.
The Gwadar, Turbat, Hoshab section of M-8 is a vital part of CPEC’s Western, Central and Eastern Routes and will serve all Gwadar bound traffic. The road has been constructed by FWO in most challenging and hostile terrain and security environment.
N-85 Highway
The N-85 Highway is also known as the Gwadar-Quetta link. It starts from Hoshab and moves northwards towards Quetta passing through Panjgur-Besima and Sorab from where it merges with the Karachi-Quetta Highway (N-25) at Kalat. The 448 km highway passes through the remote towns of interior Balochistan and provides a direct and shorter link between Gwadar and Quetta. Construction of this highway was a big challenge due to harsh terrain and security hazards. FWO has mobilized its resources at 14 locations to complete the project this year. The highway is being regarded as a catalyst for the progress and development of interior Balochistan.
Kalat-Quetta-Chaman Road
The Kalat-Quetta-Chaman road (N-25) serves as an important trade route between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The 230 km long road is divided into four sections of which Section 1 and 3 have been completed while Section 2 i.e., Khad Koocha to Quetta (54 km) and Section 4 i.e., Jungle Piralizai to Chaman (57 km) are being completed by FWO. Also known as RCD Highway this road constitutes the shortest access from Gwadar and Karachi ports to Afghanistan. Substantial progress has been achieved and the project is scheduled to be completed this year.
Despite serious logistic constraints in wake of remoteness of the area and unfavourable security situation, Pak Army is determined to complete this onerous but formidable task within stipulated timeline. The FWO has already completed 648 km of roads out of 873 km, which is a record by any international standard. Completion of these projects by end of 2016 would effectively link Gwadar Deep Sea Port with China through Karakoram Highway (KKH), Afghanistan and Central Asia through Chaman, Central Trade Corridor and Torkham.
Besides road building, FWO is leading army’s main effort against 4th and 5th Generation Warfare in Balochistan waged by ‘violent non-state actors’ and ‘violent state-sponsored proxies’ of the CPEC opposing forces from within and outside to forestall and jeopardise its implementation. FWO has strived for the development of Balochistan with its toil, sweat and blood and to this date 44 of its valiant sons including 18 civilian contractual employees have embraced martyrdom for this noble cause.
Impact of Development
It is also encouraging to note that recently conducted impact study in areas adjacent to the projects reveal that local populace is cooperating and is increasingly becoming supportive of development works. The development initiatives have positively affected the lives of common people by making commuting convenient and time saving for work, education and health needs. Moreover, overall law and order situation has also been improved. Desperate and frustrated militants are gradually surrendering. This is a great win against terrorism.
The writer is currently serving at the Frontier Works Organisation as Public Relations Officer.
