China-Pakistan railway ‘worth it’ at estimated US$58 billion: study

[FuturePAF]

The railway lines serves Chinese purposes the most .cos Pakistan does not have major industries that can access railway line to import/export or ship raw/finished materials in bulk that necessities the use of railways to cut costs or time
Why not China build for free ,use it for 30 or 40 yrs and transfer the assets to Pakistan??
China needs a short cuts to access Arabian Sea and Pakistan has to take loan to build it for China ? Is BRI a Pakistan project? Why loan burden on Pakistan ?

Pakistan does indeed need to find a way to make each leg of the venture sustainable with decades long commitments for their use as well as building SEZs along the route to build the industries that will help pay back the investment.

Ultimately, it’s mostly a revamping of Pakistan’s rail network, and yes China benefits, but Pakistan can benefit in the long run if this is part of a comprehensive economic plan. China doesn’t want to give Pakistan a free project, so it’s another chance for the powers that be to be reminded of the benefits of a shift to regional geoeconomics the way PTI government had envision when in office.

 

[Indos]

When China attack Taiwan, what US will do will be similar like what US is doing in Russia- Ukraine war

 

[Edevelop]

With this kind of large investment and the fact that Iran and China has live standard gauge, switch to standard gauge makes the most sense, now more than ever. Also an extension South down to Gwadar from Reko-Diq/and the Iranian border crossing point with a rail link as well as a rail link from gwadar to Karachi would allow the route to start generating revenue to recoup the investment and fund the next phase of the grand vision.

I've been advocating for a while to make our rail lines standard guage. Most of the world uses this system and so do our neighbours except India. Moreover, I hope we electrify the whole rail system. Diesel run trains are expensive to operate and maintain and bad for the environment. Believe me even if you go to Eastern Europe or former soviet countries, decades old railways are electrified and very high speed.

 

[FuturePAF]

I've been advocating for a while to make our rail lines standard guage. Most of the world uses this system and so do our neighbours except India. Moreover, I hope we electrify the whole rail system. Diesel run trains are expensive to operate and maintain and bad for the environment. Believe me even if you go to Eastern Europe or former soviet countries, decades old railways are electrified and very high speed.

Standard gauge trains would also allow us to import technology from a wider set of suppliers. Further, the old tracks could be used as commuter train lines and cheaper intercity lines, allowing the new lines to prioritize freight and high speed service.

 

[Meengla]

The person to listen to about 'Geoeconomics' is Jefferey Sachs. His theory is that land borders are extremely important despite all the talk about sea-routes etc. He is even saying that China and India are likely to bury the hatchet soon.

And I believe the same 'land borders' concept will be applied to Pakistan-India too, and soon.

Why such major changes coming up or already happening? Because Eurasia is the center of human activity forever. In Eurasia, I include Pakistan and northwest India along with north African countries. The rest of the world are peripheral entities, including even the United States. Human history is written by Eurasia. I don't think the world has totally absorbed, yet, what a major Eurasian war is going to do to geopolitics and geoeconomics. Some of what PDF has been talking about for years--a lot of that was wishful thinking or mere musings--are going to be proved as something concrete.

 

[PakCan]

good luck to china. I hope they paid Pakistani generals their share or they might destroy the tracks for some USD.

 

[FuturePAF]

If US navy is able to stop Chinese oil liners through Malacca, then US navy will certainly able to cutoff Chinese oil supply lines in the Arabian sea to Gwader port becos US navy is much stronger than Chinese navy in this region.

Iranian oil via rail or pipeline could flow to China and wouldn’t have to cross any body of water.

 

[REhorror]

Honestly, it's not that expensive.

I think it's less expensive than some Olympics infrastructure, and those are for vanity.

 

[Edevelop]

Staff gauge trains would also allow us to import technology from a wider set of suppliers. Further, the old tracks could be used as commuter train lines and cheaper intercity lines, allowing the new lines to prioritize freight and high speed service.

Countries in western Europe are always looking to modernize. Recently in the U.K they retired their rolling stocks which are capable of speeds of 200km/h. If only we had a standard guage and electrified tracks, a country like Pakistan could have been at the receiving end for discounted prices.

 

[etylo]

Iranian oil via rail or pipeline could flow to China and wouldn’t have to cross any body of water.

Unless they will build a pipeline directly from Iran to Gawdar and then to Kashgar.

 

[FuturePAF]

The person to listen to about 'Geoeconomics' is Jefferey Sachs. His theory is that land borders are extremely important despite all the talk about sea-routes etc. He is even saying that China and India are likely to bury the hatchet soon.

And I believe the same 'land borders' concept will be applied to Pakistan-India too, and soon.

Why such major changes coming up or already happening? Because Eurasia is the center of human activity forever. In Eurasia, I include Pakistan and northwest India along with north African countries. The rest of the world are peripheral entities, including even the United States. Human history is written by Eurasia. I don't think the world has totally absorbed, yet, what a major Eurasian war is going to do to geopolitics and geoeconomics. Some of what PDF has been talking about for years--a lot of that was wishful thinking or mere musings--are going to be proved as something concrete.

India’s large population in UP and Bihar; along the GT road and one of their dedicated freight corridors could easily be linked to a new route to Central Asia through a rebuilt rail network.

India needs the growth and jobs for its large population, ASAP, before its demographic dividend drys up in 20 years. As the cheapest and most direct route, both nations will see it in their mutual interest to get back to trade, and regional connectivity.

For fear of getting off topic;

Resolving the Kashmir disputed in a manner that creates a small independent Kashmiri state removes any impediments to regional integration and fast economic growth. An independent Kashmir could act as another Himalayan bordering nation that still has to be on friendly terms with India, akin to Nepal.

The fast economic growth in the region, with these disputes resolved, could allow Pakistan to catch up in terms of regional GDP per capita (allowing funding of social programs), and allow India to rival China in terms of economic size.

Source:

BBC NEWS

 

[Tamerlane]

If a rail link between Pakistan and China is built it can literally transform the country.

China imports hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods. Unlike the West, China doesn’t have quotas for Pakistani goods. If Pakistan had been managed properly we could have been exporting $200 billion of goods to China instead of being stuck to total exports of $27 billion to the whole world.

If this rail link is built Pakistani industries can expand massively to export to China. We can export to China on ships as well, but the rail link will help.

 

[FuturePAF]

Not if PLAN stations one of its carriers permanently at Gawadar or Ormara

That’s unlikely, most likely in Djibouti, where the Chinese already have an official base.

Btw, China is also building a space launch facility in Djibouti, so I don’t see a problem with Djibouti allowing China to expand that naval base considerably. For Pakistan, it’s best not to have any foreign military bases what so ever, from any nation; the ramifications to our relations with the US would be considerable.

If a rail link between Pakistan and China is built it can literally transform the country.

China imports hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods. Unlike the West, China doesn’t have quotas for Pakistani goods. If Pakistan had been managed properly we could have been exporting $200 billion of goods to China instead of being stuck to total exports of $27 billion to the whole world.

If this rail link is built Pakistani industries can expand massively to export to China. We can export to China on ships as well, but the rail link will help.

Agricultural modernization alone could allow massive exports to China. Mining and derivative products Could feed into other Chinese products.

Btw, GCC investors looking to earn on this transit trade could become a part owner of Pakistan railways can help fund this modernization. This is especially possible if you look at the greater GCC railway and the possible ventures the GCC countries may want to make into Africa, as they want to diversify away from primarily petrochemicals and want competitive access to growing markets as the GCC industrialize.

GCC investor could be pivotal in the trans-afghan rail projects as the entry to afghan mining projects.

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

58 billion dollars is too expensive.

$58 billion can manufacture 70 type 055 destroyers or 14 aircraft carriers.

Do what Americans do. Print money.

 

[Muji.Iqbal]

As far as china is concerned, it provides a direct and very short land based route to Middle east's energy markets which also happen to be cash rich, and growing, spending at a blistering rate.

Pakistan should let the chineese build the railway, and charge for land access & freight.

Let the chineese deal with the rest.

Agreed let the Chinese build it, they are a smart bunch. And at least the Chinese are "anti-crusade" as well. lol.