Ever since the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) began, the Chinese nationals are being targeted….reports Asian Lite News
Pakistan’s description of the issue of compensation to Chinese nationals who died at the worksite of the Dasu Hydropower Project on 14 July last year, as ‘irritant’, is raising many speculations.
The recent nod by Pakistan to pay compensation appears to be a case of a Chinese firm, whether Government or private, exercising arm-twisting, with the Chinese authorities leaning on Islamabad, according to analysts, reported Hongkong Post.
Ever since the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) began, the Chinese nationals are being targeted.
In certain areas, such as Balochistan, Pakistanis have targeted the Chinese to convey a message that the CPEC benefits China solely and provides no jobs for the local populace, reported Islam Khabar.
Additionally, China’s angst over the slow pace of CPEC projects and the overall suspicion within Pakistan that it has become a client state of China is gaining much momentum.
This tussle between the countries and the simmering tensions raises questions whether the compensation for the Chinese nationals who lost lives in Dasu attack is genuine or merely a blackmail.
One recent report in The News suggests that there could over five million Chinese in Pakistan by 2025.
According to Islam Khabar, If this count continues Pakistan will soon become a province of China.
Furthermore, It is estimated that currently there are over 100,000 Chinese nationals living and working in Pakistan.
Notably, Pakistan is paying for the health of Chinese workers living in their own country, when they are unable to look after the health of their own people.
Recently, Nong Rong, China’s Ambassador to Pakistan and Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa had met at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
The regional security situation, matters of mutual interest, and measures to further enhance bilateral cooperation were discussed during the meeting, reported Geo News citing Inter-Service Public Relation (ISPR) as saying in a statement on Wednesday.
Islamabad remains committed to cooperating with its international partners for peace in the region, said Bajwa during his meeting with Rong.
The Chinese envoy also appreciated Islamabad for special measures taken to protect the China Pakistan Economic Corridor in Pakistan, according to ISPR. Wang also reaffirmed the need for timely completion of the remaining projects.
The meeting took place as experts have raised concerns that CPEC the ambitious project of Beijing and Islamabad, has been trapped in Pakistan’s worsening security situation, the rise of terror attacks in the country, and internal protests in Gwadar leading to slow progress of the project which has been disappointing Beijing.
The CPEC’s northern end, where China has heavily invested in infrastructure that is already operational, the return of the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan has raised prospects of threats from terror groups. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) are getting active not far from the route. While the Afghan Taliban are fighting the IS-K, the Imran Khan government is desperately seeking to reach a peace deal with the TTP, said a report by Geopolitica. (ANI)