Will CPEC
end deprivation of Balochistan?
Dr Shabir
Choudhry 11 July 2018
It is difficult to say if the China Pakistan Economic Corridor will
provide economic stability to Pakistan or not; or even it will be completed as
planned. However, it surely has divided the federation of Pakistan.
After loss of East Pakistan and humiliating defeat in 1971 war where
more than 90,000 soldiers surrendered, many people thought that the remaining
Pakistan will unite, as that was the only way to survive in hostile world. But
people of Pakistan have proved all the analysts and predictions wrong.
With time their divisions got deeper and resentment stronger. During
first decade of the 21st century the country was so divided that
there were serious fears that it might not survive as a nation. It was a civil
war where Muslims in name of religion were killing each other. Although after
loss of tens of thousands of lives, situation is better than what it was at
that time.
It is sad to note that Pakistan is still not out of danger. New serious
challenges with many dimensions are confronting Pakistan; and the establishment
which virtually controls all sections of the Pakistani society is making
matters worse.
Many people thought the CPEC is a ‘game changer’, and it will strengthen
Pakistan politically, economically and there will be prosperity in the country.
Far from it, the CPEC appears to be a bone of contention dividing the
provinces.
Which route
The CPEC route was originally planned to pass through less developed
areas of Balochistan, southern Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), that these
areas could be developed and resentment of the people could be neutralised, as
employment, better health and educational facilities and infrastructure will
make life better.
However,
that was not to happen. This route, known as the Western
route after leaving Gilgit Baltistan, would have entered KPK, touching
Islamabad would have gone towards Dera Ismail Khan, and towns of Balochistan
Zhob, Qilla Saifullah, Quetta, Panjgur and Turbat districts, before reaching
Gwadar.
The
government and those are at the help of affairs on issue of the CPEC, thought
it was imperative to concentrate on the Eastern route, may be because it is
already developed and may need less work; or there could be other reasons as
critics claim. This route would go through
districts of southern and central Punjab, including Lahore, Faisalabad,
Rahimyar Khan, Bahawalpur and Multan. Nearly all political parties and pressure
groups in KPK claim that this is done by the PMLN government to benefit their
constituents in various industrial towns of Southern and central Punjab.
Despite a compromise of having three routes, Eastern, Central and
Western route, tension and disagreements exist, putting tremendous pressure on
the fragile federation.
It must be pointed out that China is
also not very keen on the Western route because of the security challenges; and
have imposed certain conditions. A Parliamentarian from Balochistan thinks the
federal government has poisoned the ears of China that the Western route is dangerous.
“The federal government has created this impression in their mind”, he said. 1
There are also some concerns about the
Central route too. In practise that means concentration on the Eastern route;
and try to improve security situation on the routes.
A former Senator and a senior leader of
Awami National Party from KYP, Afrasiab Khattak thinks his province is a major
jihadist sanctuary. He said, “Punjab gets the industrial zones and trade;
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa gets [militant] training grounds and madrasas”. 2
But is that practical? Those who are
already unhappy and have picked up guns to challenge the CPEC and the state,
will they compromise for nothing? Their complaint is that federal government
has ignored plight of these areas; and have exploited their resources. In view
of this, how can they agree that Islamabad concentrate on the eastern route and
leave out the development of other routes under the pretext of security
challenges.
CPEC and Balochistan
Balochistan is the biggest and richest
province of Pakistan, as far as territory are concerned. Pakistan constitutes
44% of Pakistan’s current territory; and has many different kinds of natural
resources like gas, minerals and precious metals. The province is the poorest
and most neglected region, where people are extremely unhappy with the centre.
Balochistan is also bestowed with
several deep coastal areas like Gwadar, Jiwani and Pasni, which if properly
used can become enormous sources of income. Apart from that, Balochistan can
bring tens of thousands of foreign tourists, as the region has some amazing
tourist attractions. Tourism alone can be a big source of income and bring
prosperity to the people.
In June 2018, a group of teachers visited Gwadar and
Jiwani to see for themselves the plight of the people and facilities available
to them in 21st century. In their report titled ‘Balochistan continues to suffer
despite CPEC’, they note:
‘But unfortunately, in
21st century and under the projects of CPEC, people are still deprived of their
basic rights and are undergoing multiple issues for example lack of
electricity, education crisis, lack of drinkable water, unemployment, poor
roads etc which are the signs of failure for the development of Balochistan’. 3
The report further says:
‘After staying two
days visiting Jiwani and Gwadar, we were shocked to know the realities. We
couldn’t get electricity for a minute throughout our stay in Jiwani. Our
experiences gave rise to a lot questions. Aren’t these coastal areas the of
Balochistan that we, the Balochs, are not receiving a single benefit from their
development? Why are we being separated and pushed backward’? 4
Author of the report,
urge the government to ‘provide fundamental needs of the citizens, like
improvement of education sector, removing unemployment issue from its root,
providing electricity and drinkable water’, and then think of other things
like development. People need these necessities to survive. They requested Head
of the CPEC and the government to take immediate measure to alleviate suffering
of the people.
A think tank called International
Crises Group, in its recent report asserted that the CPEC has many matters,
which urgently needed to be resolved by the Pakistani government. If
appropriate attention is not given to resolve these disagreements, then there
is danger that they may become bleeding conflicts. The report said:
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
project in Balochistan is producing a heavily militarized zone, displacing
locals and depriving them of economic lifelines, while in Sindh’s Tharparkar
district, coal-based CPEC power projects are damaging the environment and
displacing locals from their homes, said International Crisis Group (ICG) in
its latest report. 5
Gwadar port is essential component of the CPEC, but Balochistan will not
get any financial benefit from it; just like people of Balochistan did not get
any benefits from gas which is produced from Sui in Balochistan. Federal
government has made billions out of it, and they even denied the local people
use of the gas.
Exploitation of local resources coupled with mismanagement, oppression,
intimidation, imprisonment and denial of fundamental rights has intensified the
local resentment against the central government. Situation has become so bad
for some years that a number of groups are waging armed rebellion against
Islamabad and against exploitation of their resources.
If this exploitation, victimisation and discrimination continues, then
fear is that it will provide more fuel to their anger and resentment. This
scenario is not good for Islamabad and Beijing, as rebel groups can disrupt the
CPEC and create very serious security challenges. In view of the International
Crises Group:
‘Instead of developing a sleepy fishing village into a bustling
commercial hub as pledged by Islamabad and Beijing, the project is producing a
heavily militarized zone, displacing locals and depriving them of economic
lifelines’. 6
Hitherto, Pakistani authorities have
successfully ignored views and concerns of the people who will suffer as a
result of the CPEC. They have always demanded a consultation and invoked their
right to know. Both Islamabad and Beijing don’t want to involve people in any
process of discussion and planning. They have kept may aspects of the CPEC
hidden from the people.
Because of the growing dissent and
dissatisfaction, the ICG report advocated that the Pakistani government must
consult with local communities, as people need to know what is going on and
what are potential benefits to them. The government should also pass necessary laws
and compensate people, where they are uprooted or their land is required. Also
for the CPEC projects local labour must be used, otherwise the resentment of
the people will continue to grow and create obstacles for the CPEC.
In this regard, a statement of Dr Allah
Nazar, a Baloch leader belonging to Balochistan Liberation Front is important
and should be taken seriously by the authorities. In his video message, he
asserted:
‘Baloch will defeat China and Pakistan. Our struggle
is an indigenous one. This is a war against China and other foreign countries
and their investors. Baloch is a living nation. If China is hoping to establish
a naval base to crush us, it must realize what they themselves have gone
through when Japan invaded China. What tactics it used to counter the Japanese
aggression? We are living in the twenty first century and we will come with
harsher stratagem against China as well. Today Pakistan is in a state of utter
confusion that how its army is being targeted’. 7
Another Baloch leader, senior commander of Baloch Liberation Army, Aslam
Baloch, while talking to the Baloch Post, said:
‘CPEC is not only a threat to the region’s peace but also
to the very existence of Baloch nation. “In order to counter this threat,
joint-struggle and alliance between different Baloch resistance forces is need
of the time. Baloch forces are devising a plan and there is strong consensus
between Baloch Liberation Army and Baloch Liberation Front in this regard”. 8
Khalil Baloch, Chairman of Baloch National Movement, said:
“CPEC project is not an economic project. It will be used
for China’s military dominance in the region. China is building a naval base
here to prove its military supremacy against India and the world powers.
However, this project will not succeed without Baloch nation’s consent. Baloch
nation will resist hardly against CPEC as it is a matter of life-and-death for
us”. 9
Gulzar Imam Baloch, a senior
Baloch Republican Army commander, also expressed sentiments similar to the
other Baloch leaders who are resisting the Central government and the CPEC. He
said:
“Baloch are continuously resisting against CPEC. With
death and destruction, China and Pakistan might be able to complete this
project but they will not be able to guarantee peace for it without Baloch
nation’s consent”. 10
He also said, the Baloch people are successfully fighting China and
Pakistan simultaneously; and because of their armed struggle the foreign
investors are reluctant to invest in these projects.
The Baloch people have genuine grievances, but they are divided; and
divided struggle cannot win wars. If they want to be successful they need to unite,
and amalgamate their meagre resources, and struggle with one common agenda.
Whether the Baloch rebels unite or not, but what they are doing is
sufficient to deter potential investors. Also, that should make Islamabad and
Beijing to think that you cannot build the CPEC by crushing sentiments of the
local people, and over their dead bodies. If these projects are for people,
then people must be consulted and they should be part of the decision making.
Situation in Gwadar
Up till 1958, Gwadar was not even part of
Pakistan; and now, in view of some, it has become essential for progress and
future of the country. Gwadar’s potential as a port site was identified in
1954, when this small fishing village was still under the rule of Oman. After
long negotiations Oman sold the territory to Pakistan for the price of 3
million US dollars on 8 September 1958; and Gwadar officially became part of
Pakistan on 8 December 1958.
With the Chinese help deep sea port of Gwadar
was completed in 2006.
Control of the Gwadar Port was given to
Singapore in January 2007. There was more than one reason why the Gwadar Port
could not function as expected. Baloch armed rebellion and insecurity against
the centre was one of the major reason.
Later on, in November 2015, Gwadar Port was
taken over by China Overseas Port Holding Company; and it became essential part
of the CPEC. It is hoped that Gwadar will become a hustling commercial hub.
However, Chinese control of Gwadar’s free
trade zone, in view of some experts, will adversely affect the local business
community. One Karachi based financial representative said:
“If I want to set up a factory there, I would
have to approach a Chinese manager”. 11
It must also be pointed out that for 40 long
years, China will receive 91 percent of the profits generated from the Gwadar
Port, and Pakistan will have to settle for only 9 percent. Interestingly, the
local government of Balochistan will get 0 percent share of profits. For any
person with common sense, issues like these will only provide more fuel to the
anger of Baloch Nationalists. It is sad that Islamabad and Beijing believe that
they can subdue the Baloch rebels by use of force; and there is no need to offer
anything to the local people. A local expert with in-depth knowledge of local
issues said:
“Several local officials complained that the
existing plants benefit the port, not the city’s residents”.
Because of decades of oppression, injustice
and deprivation, people of Baluchistan’s anger and alienation is increasing.
People of Gwadar are also feeling the injustice and ill-treatment of Islamabad.
They feel they are becoming the first causality of the CPEC plans in Gwadar, as
priority is given to traders, especially non - Pakistanis. The local people are
expelled from their homes to make space for the CPEC projects. The sad fact is
that they are not even compensated appropriately.
Apart from many other issues which makes life
extremely difficult for the local people, there are severe water and
electricity shortages, which adds to problems of making Gwadar a commercial
hub. Iran provides electricity to Gwadar and still there are up to 10 hours of
load shedding.
Water is essential commodity for life. Drinking
water is not available in abundance in Gwadar, and some people are making
fortune by transporting water in tankers. Situation is so desperate that houses
are broken in to, not take computers, laptops, TV, radio or other such items,
they search for clean water containers.
In north of Gwadar, the Mirani dam was built
in 2008 to irrigate tens of thousands of acres of land in Balochistan. To rub
salt in wounds of the local people, the authorities have diverted water to meet
requirements of Gwadar and the CPEC projects.
The Baloch rebels have started attacking
water tankers; and they have in turn gone on strikes and asked for security. In
order to meet the water demand, authorities must build desalination plants in
Gwadar. The existing water facilities are not sufficient to even meet demands
of the Port and the CPEC project. A local citizen bitterly said:
“They say that Gwadar will be a major hub of
industry; for the people who live here, it is Karbala”. 12
Complaints of people
Balochistan
Assembly’s former speaker Aslam Bhootani, during an election rally in Pasni
said:
‘If
demanding equal rights for people was a sin or treason he was ready to accept
this allegation’. He said, the people of
Gwadar district also had many expectations from the CPEC. However, they had so
far received nothing from this mega project. “Even the people of the port
city were deprived of drinking water… We will not allow anyone to turn Gwadar
into another Dera Bugti.” 13
Rubina
Irfan is one of the active women politicians in Balochistan. She is a
former Minister for Law of Balochistan; and she is also a former Senator who
served on various Committee like Marginalized Segments of Society, Defence
Production, Petroleum and Natural Resources, Ports and Shipping and Problem of
Less Developed Areas.
Yousaf Ajab Baloch interviewed
her and asked her if the CPEC ‘will really change the fate of underprivileged
Balochistan’? Her reply was as follows:
‘We read and listen tall claims
about CPEC; no one knows the reality regarding it as well as this project
creates a number of doubts if we see the ground realities. Gwadar which
is beginning point of CPEC but still government has failed to overcome unending
water crisis in Gwadar. Our expectation regarding job opportunities go in vain
as we hear about thousands of Chines’ prisoners to be brought for labour work.
We have bitter experience of Sandak and Rekodics’ cooper and gold projects
which have been of no use for the People of Balochistan, lest CPEC should give
the same result. Therefore, we do not have much expectation from CPEC’. 14
In a reply to a question on
deprivation and unrest, she said, ‘The causes of Balochistan’s unrest and
deprivation are due to the unequal distribution of wealth’. She further said, if people of Balochistan are
given ‘their due share and respect’, then problems could be resolved. In
frustration, she added, ‘Unfortunately, Balochistan is not heard in
assemblies and senate. Though legislators change in senate and assemblies,
Islamabad never changes its policies, I mean the system never changes. The
resources and wealth of Balochistan are valued but people in Balochistan are
devalued or ignored and plundering of resources goes on. 15
Development authority has approved 103
housing schemes in Gwadar. On top of that, around 100 private firms have
acquired 14,500 acres of land. The Pakistan Navy didn’t want to stay behind,
and they have also acquired some very valuable land to start housing scheme.
This attractive land overlooks Gwadar’s east and west bays; and will become
very expensive. The local people already find it difficult to buy any property.
Apart from that, more than 2,200 acres of
land has been allocated for CPEC’s free trade zone. For Gwadar city, around
290,000 acres; and for residential purposes 160,000 acres of land is allocated.
As expected, no consultation was done with the local people, and land owners.
The land was expropriated under the Land Acquisition Act without advance notice
as required by the law. 16
It looks the authorities are working hard to
increase their injustice and oppression; and this will further add to
bitterness and alienation of the local people. It is a vicious circle –
alienation and resentment leads to anger and frustration; and authorities in
response increase security, surveillance and control.
Many secret agencies monitor movement of the
people; even the local officials are ‘subjected to frequent and demeaning
questioning by soldiers at checkpoints’. Even women and children are not exempted
from this. One school girl retorted:
“CPEC has given us nothing; we can’t even
walk freely in our own city. The plan seems to be to make life so miserable for
the residents that they leave on their own”. 17
One local analyst said,
livelihood of around 70-80 percent people is dependent on fishing; and with the
CPEC projects they will soon be out of work. Majority of the fisher folk could
just make their living by daily catch; and authorities are closing Gwadar’s
jetty; and at times, they are denied access to the sea for days on excuses of
security. In January 2018, when the sea was calm, which is ideal for fishing,
they were denies access for days. One analyst said:
‘Fishing communities are also being relocated to nearby
fishing areas along the coast, such as Sur Bandar, with some resisting pressure
to move. In the long run, such resistance is unlikely to halt the development
of the port, but the cost of ignoring it would be further local alienation. 18
The local people feel
they are excluded in all walks of life, especially from employment. They don’t
even get jobs in the port and in
construction field. Construction is mainly in hands of the military-run
Frontier Works Organization, and they get labour from Punjab.
Among the reasons for not hiring local people
is lack of trust and security issues. Also, they are perceived as ‘uneducated’ and
‘unreliable’; so why invest in them. However, it must be pointed out that a new
initiative is to train local Baloch to enable them to get jobs. Danger is if
policy of not employing unskilled and semi-skilled Baloch people continues,
then they can be easily recruited by the armed rebels.
Some non-Baloch thinking people also share
this narrative that military’s response to disgruntlement in Balochistan is ‘extremely
heavy-handed’; and that is having a snowball effect, as this multiply their
anger and frustration. The Commander of army in Balochistan is perceived as a ‘supreme
authority’; and secret agencies act with impunity. The result is some people
have picked up guns and some others are trying to leave the region to safer
areas.
Increasingly people think, like the situation
of East Pakistan where it was believed that the ruling elite wanted territory
and not the people; Islamabad want Balochistan and its resources and not the
Baloch. This thinking is very dangerous; and thinking people in authority must
pay immediate attention to dispel this thinking.
The Baloch rebels are a divided lot. They can
create problems and hold back the progress of the CPEC related projects; but it
will be difficult for them to take on the well trained and strong army of
Pakistan. By killing poor Pakistani workers may not win the Baloch rebels
support of the Pakistani people, especially the people of Punjab who matter;
however, it can send a strong signal to the Chinese that they can build
whatever they like, but there is no guarantee that they will always be able to
protect everything.
Both sides need to step back and revisit
wisdom of their current policies. They must understand that people cannot be
silenced by use of gun. It is time to talk; and find a way to resolve disputes.
If insurgency continues, who knows what will happen tomorrow, as some outside
powers can also take advantage of the situation and that can destabilise the
entire region.
I urge the armed forces to step back, and let
the civilians run business of the state. Role of a professional army is not
what Pakistan army is doing in Pakistan. Nowhere in the civilised world interference
from the army in running of the government is appreciated. You have a gun and
other privileges that you can defend Pakistan, and its citizens. This gun must
not be used to harass, intimidate or kill unarmed Pakistanis.
I end with a quote from a book called ‘No
exit from Pakistan’.
‘Pakistan is a garrison state. The military has grown to
control not only its own budgets and authorities but also to dictate national
politics and a big slice of the economy as well. From a third point of view,
Pakistan is a terrorist incubator’. 19
Writer is a renowned writer and author of many books. He is also a
senior leader of UKPNP and Chairman South Asia Watch, London.
Email: Drshabirchoudhry@gmail.com Twitter: @Drshabir
Reference:
1.
https://www.crisisgroup.org/asia/south-asia/pakistan/297-china-pakistan-economic-corridor-opportunities-and-risks
2.
Ibid
4.
Ibid
6.
Ibid
7.
http://thebalochistanpost.com/2018/05/exclusive-video-baloch-will-defeat-pakistan-china-allah-nazar/
11.
https://www.crisisgroup.org/asia/south-asia/pakistan/297-china-pakistan-economic-corridor-opportunities-and-risks
12.
Ibid
13.
Dawn, July 9th, 2018
14.
Published in The Balochistan
Point on May 19, 2018
15.
Ibid
16.
https://www.crisisgroup.org/asia/south-asia/pakistan/297-china-pakistan-economic-corridor-opportunities-and-risks
17.
Ibid
18.
No exit from Pakistan, by
Daniel Markey, Page 30
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