SECURITY THREATS TO CPEC

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF COMPUTER AND EMERGING

SCIENCES, LAHORE CAMPUS
Security Threats to CPEC

Introduction:

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multi-billion dollar infrastructure investment plan, is
indicated as a ‘game changer’ for Pakistan’s regional and economic cooperation. With the investment of
46 billion dollars and expected to be completed by 2030. Being a central part of a main development
initiative controlled by China, known as ‘One Belt, One Road’ (OBOR), to link Asia with the Middle
East, Europe, and Africa, the CPEC is much linked to hopes, interests, as well as regional and global
geopolitics. Though, such a mega project never comes without challenges and critical questions. The
security issues remain the primary challenge to the realization of the CPEC project. For several years,
Islamabad has been engaged in a war against terrorist groups that might threaten or attack the CPEC
project. These security problems can affect and delay the implementation of projects under CPEC.

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will help to resolve the problems that affect the stability in their
borders and also prevent the different forces that manipulating the internal and external ethnic conflicts
between two countries. This Economic Corridor could only become a game changer if both Governments
are succeeded in the overcoming of this security challenge.

Security Threats:

Pakistan faces both internal and external security threats. The reason of terrorism, however, is a post-9/11
phenomenon. When General Pervez Musharraf supported the US-led War on Terror against the Taliban,
the latter, in reaction, started targeting the Pakistani society and state. Resultantly, more than thirty
thousand civilians and law enforcement officials have lost their lives in multiple acts of terrorism since
2003. Nevertheless, the overall numbers of causalities have dropped since 2014 owing to some legislative
and executive measures taken by the government, but suicide bombers are still a real threat. Finding
opportunity, any terrorist organization can strike. The country’s security devices are the most tempting
targets, while minorities are more in danger.

Most of the people who died in terror attacks were ordinary Pakistani citizens, both Muslims and non-
Muslims. But foreigners have also been targeted. For example, an American national was kidnapped and
later killed in Karachi some years ago. Iranians have also been targeted.

Similarly, the Islamic State (IS) abducted, as per media reports, two Chinese nationals who were
Christian missionaries, near Quetta in 2017. The couple was eventually killed. This seemed like an
attempt on the part of the terrorists to malign China-Pakistan relations, in general, and the project, in
particular. Moreover, another Chinese national was also killed in Karachi, reportedly by blackmailers.
The deceased Chinese citizen, according to Pakistani officials, was working for a non-CPEC firm called
Cosco Shipping Lines Pak (Pvt) Ltd, which has been doing business in Pakistan since the early 1990s. If
analyzed objectively, in both cases, the Chinese nationals were residing or working in Pakistan in their
private capacity. Furthermore, they were not related to CPEC in any capacity. Noticeably, the missionary
couple and the private-firm employee were provided due security by the government. However, in both
incidents, the Chinese citizens seemed to have violated security protocols, which cost them their lives.

Recently there have also been reports of some Chinese citizens involved in financial crimes such as ATM
skimming. Such cases remain under investigation. In addition, in April 2018, a number of Chinese
workers were filmed assaulting some personnel of the Punjab police in the Noor Pur camp (Khanewal,
Punjab). Video footage of this shameful incident went viral on social media. At one point during the fight,
the country project manager of the concerned company stood arrogantly on the bonnet of the police van
with the Pakistani flag visible beside his shoes — this was not the first such incident.

Internal Security Threats:

There are certain internal challenges which Pakistan is facing regarding internal security point of view.
Provincial security could be the greatest issue to the CPEC as it goes through a portion of the regions
confronting the greatest security challenges. The greatest tested to the CPEC is the local security
condition; particularly the Afghanistan problem. China’s huge interest in the locale is depended on the
peace and steadiness both in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Western parts of China. This is the reason China
is currently seeking after to convey the Taliban to arranging table inside the quadrilateral structure
between China, Pakistan, US and Afghanistan. The security circumstance in Afghanistan is weakening
step by step and even could be demolishing after the withdrawal of NATO powers from Afghanistan as
the Taliban have declined to go to the arranging table started by the quadrilateral gathering involving.
After the executing of the Mullah Mansoor, the Taliban pioneer there is by all accounts few shots that the
Taliban could go to the transactions. In addition, Pakistan has as of late expressed that after the
slaughtering of the Taliban pioneer in Pakistan, it can’t ensure to get the Taliban to draw in peace talks.

With the refusal of talk by the Taliban in their current explanations it appears that it will require
investment to get peace in Afghanistan. Steadiness in Afghanistan is of most extreme significance as the
overflow impact can additionally destabilize the local security condition, especially Pakistan and Western
parts of China. This could make security issues for the super undertakings in particular TAPI and CPEC
in the district. Inside Pakistan the circumstance isn’t great similarly. The long-term revolt in Balochistan
and FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) could impede further to emerge the CPEC.

Lieven has noticed that after the Withdrawal of Western powers from Afghanistan, Pakistan’s survival
will remain a crucial worry for the Western and Chinese interests in the district. Then again China is
similarly stress over the security circumstance of Afghanistan that could influence the Xingjian area
which is an imperative district for the working of the CPEC. In addition, the hostile manner of general
society of Pakistan and India could be a hindrance in getting people in general help for the Indian
consideration to the CPEC to make it a cross provincial move. Pakistan’s interior security has enhanced
subjectively after the military task against the invaders, yet the security wonder in Pakistan will remain a
test to execute super undertakings like CPEC easily. Despite the fact that a unique security constrain has
been shaped to ensure the CPEC and related activities, given the permeable fringe amongst Pakistan and
Afghanistan and some troublesome territories through which the CPEC will go in Pakistan, security will
remain a pivot for the achievement of the CPEC.

The first challenge is the most progressive Talibanisation of Pakistan, especially in the FATA and
western parts of the country. Pakistan confronts prospective security threats from Tehreek-e-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP) and different other militant groups in the tribal areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, although
nationalist mutiny in Baluchistan, religious and ethnic violence in Punjab and Karachi (Sindh). The
militancy groups and insecurity will become serious threats for the construction of China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The second challenge is the religious extremism and terrorism that also become serious threat to China-
Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a society and the country as a whole. Meanwhile, in 9/11 incident
more than 30,000 citizen and also different security workers have lost their lives in terror attacks.
Likewise, Pakistan has been taking a serious action to control the threat of terrorism and its main uproot
causes, i.e., religious radicalism.

The third one challenge is faced by Pakistan like Indian involvement. Several countries think that CPEC
has a strategic threat to their military and economic interests and penetrating effect on the state. India
violently substances to CPEC, specified the atmosphere of a forceful geo-strategic struggle it put into the
hands of Pakistan an advantageously favorable position along the Arabian Sea. Furthermore, reliable
evidence exists that exposed that RAW run a special cell set up to disrupt CPEC in Pakistan.

The fourth one is about our actually close friends, the UAE; in the meanwhile, Gwadar is also another
superficial challenge to its virtual domination over trade in the gulf countries. On the other hand, India is
also intelligently promoting their own port with the name of "Chabahar Port" initiative as an alternatively
to connect Central Asia and Europe, having more of an effect on the UAE than Gwadar.

The fifth one is the Pashtun tribes of Afghanistan has provided nonstop support to the rebels and has
supported by the rebellion, as well as Taliban has a close connection with the Norzais, Ghilzai Alekozai,
Durrani and Eshaqzais tribes. Moreover, Wazirs, Ahmadzai, and Mahsuds in North and South Waziristan
have also supported the rebellious troop by organizing their variant happenings in Afghanistan that can
also affect CPEC.

External Security Threats:

Since its genesis, Pakistan has encountered extreme threats on its veracity and security from its west
borders align to Afghanistan. Along with NATO assault of Afghanistan, India, Russia and Iran has been
trying its best to threaten Pakistan. The rise of greater interest of India in Afghanistan compelled to
establish an AF-PAK association to hinder the challenges. Moreover, the Chinese investment and curved
eye of Iranian and Russian has further fetched security implication. In addition, to list the internal set of
conflicts, strong external oppresses on CPEC is obvious. Since after 9/11, cooperation level between Pak-
Iran has attained its height in naval cooperation in the Indian Ocean. There existed the high level of
strategic and economic competition level with India and Iran because of revision of China-Pakistan
economic corridor. Instability in politics and disturbed security state of Pakistan may carry reactions in
the advancement of CPEC infrastructure near the Afghan border.

The biggest challenge is existing proxy war with neighbor India and its strong influence in Afghanistan at
the same time recently improving aggressive relations with its west. So far Caspian region Russian
control status quo standby decision on oil pipeline is concerned which extending to Europe and beyond
has a threat from the construction of new pipe line as per CPEC. Chinese design in the Indian Ocean is
yet another complication in India-China geo-politics. Not only this to counter the corridor, ‘Chahbhar
Port’ is another grand design of India with Iran and Afghanistan strategically. Advantageous geographical
and socio-cultural strategic location of Iran has created a smallest link between Central Asia and the
Indian Ocean at the same time Iran has several projects with central Asian counterparties like Anzob
Tunnel with Tajikistan and Amu Darya Bridge. Heavily dependent on central Asian nations on Russian
communication networking infrastructure and Russian energy resources’ linkages with Kazakhstan has
snared Pakistan corridor dream. However, Common wealth independent states (CIS) like Azerbaijan
plays a supportive role so far corridor success is concerned. The struggle for power influence in
Afghanistan by different regional actors in the wake of US withdrawal has a grace threat on the
sustainability of proposed CPEC. Most ignored factor is the cost of production. Heavy demand from
industrial clusters for raw materials brings price hike and hurts the major motive of CPEC economic
prosperity. At the same time it results in resource depletion, environmental pollution and changing
climatic patterns.
Conclusion:

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is the activist for counter-terrorism cooperation between two
countries. Therefore, people of both countries should emphasis not only strengthened the prevailing
security measures but also to ensure successfully and timely completion of this project. But there is still
security related threats concerns, however, it might be originated from Pakistan, and the Xianjiang
province in Western China is also facing security related threats. The security of corridor is the crucial for
Pakistan as well as China in order to strengthen trade and development ties.

References:

 http://www.cpecinfo.com/cpec-news?page=1" target="_blank" title="CPEC Latest News">China

Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
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 Chaziza, M. 2016. “China–Pakistan Relationship: A Game-changer for the Middle East?,”
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