Pakistan and China are having a harder time defending the suppression of local dissent coming from the Baloch ethnic group in the Balochistan region, through which a significant portion of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passes, according to Geo-politik. Meanwhile, the two governments continue to highlight the advantages of the (CPEC) for Pakistan’s economy.
By building modern transportation networks, many energy projects, and special economic zones, CPEC aims to quickly update Pakistan’s necessary infrastructure and boost its economy.
The presence and completion of CPEC have come under increasing scrutiny as resistance to it has increased from both inside and outside of Pakistan. Pakistan’s internal security situation has deteriorated, which makes it less likely that the CPEC will be finished.
A recent study demonstrates how the Chinese perceive—or, more accurately, wish to perceive—the CPEC initiative. The author of the ‘Construction of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under the BRI Vision: Opportunities, Challenges and Countermeasures’ is Wang Junchao, who is a post-graduate student at the Centre for School of Anti-Terrorism of Northwest Politics and Law University.
The opposition is because it does not address any of their main problems, according to Geo-politik. Conveniently, China and Pakistan are labelling the villagers’ ongoing resistance and struggle for their rights as acts of terrorism.
The Baloch people number around four million, making them the least represented of the four major ethnic groups in the nation in terms of population. Balochis with insufficient rights do not have many opportunities to participate in the decision-making process. According to Geo-politik, Balochis only hold 5% of the police positions even within Balochistan.
The Baloch minority has limited access to the Central Cabinet Ministry and other critical positions as a result of the Punjab region’s population controlling more than 60% of Pakistan’s administrative resources.