Chinese Pakistan Economic Corridor is being portrayed as a game changer for the region and most important development for the future of Pakistan. People have talked about CPEC mostly in terms of its impact on the economy but I consider CPEC as vital for Pakistan from defense and strategic point of view.
Currently Pakistan has been sandwiched by its enemies from East as well West. We are facing threat from multiple enemies including USA , India and Afghanistan . These enemies have not only send their trained terrorists and agents inside Pakistan to destabilize us internally but time and again are threatening Pakistan with surgical strikes as well as ultimate all-out attack on our borders from West as well as East .
To counter these multiple threats Pakistan need to have backing of a solid super power and in these times only and only China has shown willingness to do so. China has resources as well as mettle to face the bullies which are trying to strangle Pakistan. In past China has always helped us against our enemies in spirit of a true friend but there was a need to bring Chinese interest in our security on more solid grounds and CPEC has provided this golden opportunity .
CPEC has given considerable advantage to Chinese economy by cutting its cost of sea route this is why Chinese are ready to invest heavily and make this successful. With CPEC , now China will have even higher stakes in Pakistan and will have more interest in standing against USA and India in our defense. I foresee Chinese giving extra help to Pakistan in terms of defense equipment in all three services to make sure CPEC is saved including making our Navy stronger to defend Gwadar and adjoining areas.
China and Pakistan have common enemies namely USA and India. Both know the value of CPEC for China as well as Pakistan and are trying their best to sabotage CPEC at any cost. In order to safe CPEC both China and Pakistan need to consider CPEC as strategic asset and defend it from our enemies accordingly. It is no ordinary economic project. It’s a strategic endeavor which can change destiny of both Pakistan as well as China. In a way CPEC is as important for our security as our nuclear assets are in deterring any cross border attack from our enemies.
To save CPEC from our enemies Pakistan Establishment should defend this in same way as we are defending our nuclear assets . And for this our establishment should understand that just as we cannot give our nuclear assets in the hands of incompetent and corrupt civilian government so we should not let CPEC go in the hand of civilians.
In the past the corrupt politicians have ruined our economy through corruption and mismanagement. The statistics of Bhutto era as well as eras of Benezir, Sharifs and Zardaris is evident of this in comparison to the growth achieved in the times of military rulers including Ayyub Khan Zia and Musharraf . I am afraid that since the start of CPEC , its management is in the hand of the PMLN Government ministers and already stories of corruption are being heard. These politicians are also creating confusion on deliberate ambiguity on East Central and West routes and also share of the provinces causing negative feelings against CPEC in smaller provinces. Leaving a project of such a strategic importance in the hand of selfish soul less politicians is a suicide and confirm disaster in making and a surety that CPEC will ultimate fail.
I am afraid that these politicians will create so much problems for Chinese that one day Chinese may decide to abandon CPEC and find some other alternate for their One Road One Belt project. And once we lose CPEC then I don’t think China will ever be interested again in protecting Pakistan against big enemies like USA and India. Do we want to see this happen? Of course not!
Our Military establishment need to take serious note of the mismanagement of the civilians in CPEC as well as security of the Chinese and take the complete CPEC management as well as security of the Chinese in the hand of the military and protect CPEC like strategic asset in same way as military is protecting nuclear assets. Establishment need to create joint intelligence teams with Chinese to counter moves against CPEC by USA/India.
There is no time to be complacent or compromising here and any delay by Military Establishment in taking over CPEC from civilians will ruin the future of our country.