Pak Nationalist
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- Jul 4, 2021
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In the recent JCC meeting, it appears that the Pakistani side could not get anything it set out to get while the Chinese side has gotten everything it wanted. Tariffs for the Chinese IPPs would not be renegotiated, meaning that PML-N ad-hocism would continue costing the country for the foreseeable future. ML-1 project could also not get off the rail where Pakistani view was again not accepted. Most importantly, the CPEC 2.0, where we were supposed to see widespread industrial collaboration, has remained a pipedream. This collaboration was supposed to increase our production capacity and create exportable surpluses, helping us finance the debt component of the CPEC. No progress on this front was made in this JCC either. It is unclear who is to be blamed for the go-slow policy on this front. Instead, we are talking about the construction of Dir, DIK-Peshawar Motorways which would either be constructed by incurring debt or on a BOT basis necessitating hefty tolls once these become operational. Motorways are not utilized in Pakistan for inter/intra-country trade due to the heavy tolls involved. Is this infrastructure going to improve the productive capacity of our economy? PML-N styled spending priorities that the incumbents used to frown upon rightfully have been embraced by them, unfortunately. Dasu dam attack has angered the Chinese to the extent that the construction on this strategic project which is vital to our water/food security and bringing down power tariffs in the long term, has been completely halted. One does not blame the Chinese there because the weakness of our leaders has virtually allowed India to assume the role of Israel and converted Pakistan into an Iran where Israel could take unilateral actions at will. It has increasingly become easy for India to thwart Pakistan's progress, whether Dasu attack, cyber attacks directed at our critical civilian infrastructure (FBR), or the disinformation operation aimed at Newzealand cricket team's visit (economic and image dividends cricket coming back to Pakistan would have had).
Pakistan, China agree not to alter tariff on power deals
Beijing seeks security of workers, arrest and prosecution of Dasu attackers as JCC of CPEC meets after two years.
www.dawn.com
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