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Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
PM reaffirms security of Chinese nationals as top priority
Listen to article Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reiterated that the protection of Chinese nationals in Pakistan remains a top priority for the government, underscoring its significance in the context of the country's economic future and bilateral cooperation with China. Chairing a high-level meeting on security arrangements for Chinese citizens, the prime minister said that creating a safe and business-friendly environment was essential to maintaining the confidence of Chinese companies operating in Pakistan. 'The confidence of Chinese companies in the Pakistani economy is extremely important for our economic future,' he stated. Read More: UN adopts Pakistan-sponsored resolution on 'peaceful dispute settlement' He highlighted ongoing efforts to bolster security for Chinese nationals across the country, including in the federal capital, citing Safe City projects as a key component of this strategy. These surveillance and response systems, he said, were being implemented nationwide in accordance with international standards. 'China is our friendly country, and the safety of our Chinese brothers is our foremost responsibility,' PM Shehbaz said while noting that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had entered its second phase, focused on business-to-business collaboration, further increasing the importance of secure conditions for Chinese citizens. In view of this, the premier directed authorities to take special measures at all airports to facilitate the arrival and departure of Chinese nationals. He also called for the inclusion of Safe City-standard surveillance systems in all upcoming housing projects. Also Read: Punjab opposition leader, PTI supporters sentenced to 10 years in May 9 case During the briefing, the interior minister and senior officials updated the prime minister on security protocols in place, highlighting that special arrangements had been made nationwide in light of potential security threats. Chinese nationals are currently being provided with security escort services for travel, the meeting was informed. The federal and provincial governments are working in coordination on these measures, the briefing added, noting that Safe City projects were being expanded across multiple urban centres. The meeting was attended by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, State Minister Talal Chaudhry, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, and other senior officials.
Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
PM Shehbaz assures foolproof security for Chinese nationals across Pakistan
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday assured that foolproof security arrangements are being implemented nationwide to safeguard Chinese nationals, amid the growing scope of bilateral cooperation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Chairing a high-level review meeting, the premier said the government was committed to enhancing security infrastructure and surveillance capabilities in major cities to ensure a safe, business-friendly environment for Chinese citizens working and living in Pakistan. 'China is our friendly nation, and the safety of our Chinese brothers is of utmost importance,' he said. 'We are building a secure environment for long-term collaboration and investment.' He stressed that with CPEC entering its second phase, focusing on private sector and business-to-business partnerships, securing Chinese personnel and assets has become even more critical. The meeting was briefed on existing measures, including the deployment of dedicated security escorts, high-resolution surveillance in residential areas, and fast-tracked facilitation for Chinese citizens at airports and border points. Ongoing coordination between federal and provincial authorities was also reviewed. Sharif directed relevant departments to accelerate the installation of Safe City systems across urban centres and ensure that all new housing projects include surveillance infrastructure aligned with national standards. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Minister of State Talal Chaudhry, and SAPM Tariq Fatemi were among the officials present. 'The confidence of Chinese companies in Pakistan's economy is vital to our economic future,' the prime minister noted, urging authorities to remove any gaps in the protection framework.
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First Post
6 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
How state plunder and CPEC have made Balochistan Pakistan's Achilles' heel
Pakistan's focus on external threats over internal reconciliation highlights its failure to assert sovereignty through governance, leaving Balochistan a battleground for both local aspirations and global ambitions read more In the past week, the BLA has launched a deadly assault on Pakistani security forces, killing 29 people in Quetta and Kalat. The attack targeted a bus reportedly carrying over 48 passengers, including Pakistani soldiers. Image: AFP The Balochistan Liberation Army's (BLA) relentless campaign against Pakistani forces has thrust Pakistan's largest yet most marginalised province into the spotlight of a deepening crisis. In the first half of 2025 alone, the BLA claimed responsibility for 286 attacks, resulting in over 697 Pakistani military personnel killed and significant territorial gains, including the seizure of 45 strategic locations. In the past week, the BLA has launched a deadly assault on Pakistani security forces, killing 29 people in Quetta and Kalat. The attack targeted a bus reportedly carrying over 48 passengers, including Pakistani soldiers. This incident marks one of the deadliest strikes in recent months, pushing the military's casualty count to its highest in the past six months. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD These audacious operations, marked by sophisticated tactics and coordinated assaults on military infrastructure, signal a reinvigorated insurgency that challenges Pakistan's sovereignty over its resource-rich western frontier. The BLA's actions, including high-profile attacks like the Jaffar Express hijacking in March 2025, underscore a growing defiance rooted in decades of grievances—political exclusion, economic exploitation, and systemic human rights abuses. Balochistan, despite its vast reserves of gas, gold, and copper, remains Pakistan's poorest region, with 70 per cent of its population living in multidimensional poverty. The province's strategic significance, amplified by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), has only intensified tensions, as Baloch nationalists view such projects as tools of external exploitation rather than local development. Pakistan's heavy-handed military response, characterised by enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, has further alienated the Baloch, swelling the ranks of insurgent groups with educated youth and even women. This escalating conflict exposes not only Pakistan's failure to integrate Balochistan but also its inability to reconcile with a population demanding autonomy or independence. The BLA's growing sophistication and public support signal a broader rejection of Islamabad's authority, raising questions about the state's capacity to maintain control over a region integral to its geopolitical ambitions. As the violence intensifies, the roots of this conflict—historical neglect, resource disputes, militarisation, and external influences—demand closer examination to understand why Pakistan's grip on Balochistan is slipping. Historical Neglect and Broken Promises The roots of the Pakistan-BLA conflict trace back to the forced annexation of Balochistan in 1948, when the princely state of Kalat was coerced into joining Pakistan despite its brief declaration of independence. This historical grievance set the stage for recurring rebellions, with five major uprisings since 1947, each driven by the Baloch people's sense of betrayal. The Pakistani state's early policies, such as the One-Unit scheme of 1955, which merged Balochistan into West Pakistan, stripped the region of its distinct identity and political agency. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD These actions sowed seeds of distrust that have persisted for decades. Baloch nationalists argue that Islamabad's promises of autonomy and development have consistently been broken, leaving the province politically marginalised. Despite constituting 44 per cent of Pakistan's landmass, Balochistan holds only 5 per cent of its population and lacks proportional representation in federal institutions, with Punjabi elites dominating the bureaucracy. The dismissal of Balochistan's provincial government in 1973, followed by a brutal four-year insurgency, further deepened this alienation. Successive governments have failed to address these grievances, opting instead for cosmetic reforms or outright repression. The Baloch see their region's strategic importance—bordering Iran and Afghanistan, with a coastline along the Arabian Sea—as a curse, exploited by the central government for geopolitical gain without reciprocal investment in local welfare. This historical neglect has created a fertile ground for the BLA's narrative of resistance, framing their fight as a legitimate struggle against a state that has consistently failed to honour Balochistan's sovereignty or aspirations for self-determination. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Economic Exploitation and the CPEC Balochistan's vast natural resources—gas, coal, gold, and copper—should have made it a cornerstone of Pakistan's economic growth, yet the province remains mired in poverty. The central government's exploitation of these resources, often without equitable benefit to the local population, has been a key driver of the BLA's insurgency. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $62 billion infrastructure project linking China's western region to Gwadar's deep-sea port, has become a lightning rod for Baloch grievances. While CPEC is touted as a game-changer for Pakistan, Baloch nationalists view it as a symbol of external exploitation, with Chinese investments prioritising federal and foreign interests over local needs. Militarised Repression Deepens Alienation Pakistan's response to Baloch dissent has relied heavily on militarisation, exacerbating the conflict and undermining its sovereignty over Balochistan. The Pakistani military's 'kill-and-dump' policy, involving enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, has targeted thousands of Baloch activists, students, and intellectuals since the early 2000s. Estimates suggest over 20,000 Baloch have gone missing, with bodies often found bearing torture marks, fuelling public outrage. Operations like the 2025 counterinsurgency campaign, involving drone strikes and mass arrests in Quetta and Mastung, have failed to quell the BLA's momentum, instead radicalising more civilians. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The military's heavy presence—over 50,000 troops stationed in Balochistan—creates a siege-like atmosphere, with checkpoints and raids disrupting daily life. This approach has alienated even moderate Baloch, who view it as collective punishment. The BLA's recruitment of educated youth, including women, reflects this growing resentment, with groups like the BLA's Majeed Brigade conducting suicide attacks against military targets in 2025. Pakistan's refusal to pursue political solutions, coupled with its reliance on force, has strengthened the BLA's narrative of state oppression, eroding trust in federal authority. By prioritising security over dialogue, Pakistan has failed to address the root causes of unrest, allowing the BLA to gain legitimacy as defenders of Baloch rights. This militarised approach not only escalates the conflict but also exposes Pakistan's inability to govern Balochistan effectively, weakening its claim to sovereignty. External Influences and Geopolitical Stakes Balochistan's strategic location and resources have drawn external actors, complicating the Pakistan-BLA conflict and exposing vulnerabilities in Pakistan's sovereignty. Bordering Iran and Afghanistan, with access to the Arabian Sea, Balochistan is a geopolitical hotspot. The CPEC has elevated its importance, with China investing heavily in Gwadar and energy projects. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, Iran's concerns about Baloch militancy spilling across its border have led to joint military operations with Pakistan, further complicating the regional dynamic. The BLA's reported ties to sanctuaries in Afghanistan, where porous borders allow training and arms flows, have emboldened its 2025 offensive, with 45 strategic locations seized. These external factors expose Pakistan's failure to secure Balochistan's borders, undermining its territorial control. The involvement of global powers in CPEC amplifies local grievances, as Baloch nationalists frame their struggle as resistance to foreign-backed exploitation. Pakistan's reliance on Chinese investment to stabilise its economy ties its hands, limiting its ability to address Baloch demands for fear of jeopardising CPEC. This geopolitical entanglement, coupled with Pakistan's inability to counter external influences or secure regional cooperation, has allowed the BLA to exploit fault lines, intensifying the conflict. The state's focus on external threats over internal reconciliation highlights its failure to assert sovereignty through governance, leaving Balochistan a battleground for both local aspirations and global ambitions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The author, a columnist and research scholar, teaches journalism at St. Xavier's College (autonomous), Kolkata. His handle on X is @sayantan_gh. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
ADB assesses feasibility of financing ML-1 project
Listen to article Experts from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Saturday inspected the Karachi to Rohri railway line, which forms a key section of the long-delayed Main Line-1 (ML-1) up-gradation project. ADB Chief Transport Planner Sangyoon Kim, accompanied by Pakistan Railways' chief engineer open lines, examined the 480-kilometre track. Senior railway officials including infrastructure specialists, divisional superintendents of Karachi and Sukkur and other representatives were also present. The ADB team is expected to meet the chief executive officer of Pakistan Railways, the additional general manager for infrastructure and Chinese experts currently working on the ML-1 project. According to officials, the ADB's fact-finding specialists are preparing a detailed report to assess the feasibility and potential of financing the Karachi-Rohri segment, which is part of the first ML-1 package. The proposed upgrading is vital not just for improving the country's railway system but also to support key economic projects. The completion of this section will ensure smoother and faster transportation of coal from Thar and easier access to strategic mineral resources like those in Reko Diq. The ML-1 project has been in the pipeline for nearly two decades. Its first feasibility report was prepared in the early 2000s but progress remained slow due to the lack of political will and consistent financial constraints. The project regained momentum after the launch of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project in 2015, when ML-1 was included as a strategic infrastructure scheme. Initially, China had shown keen interest in financing the entire ML-1 through concessionary loans. However, in later years, Beijing became hesitant, mainly due to Pakistan's worsening financial health, concerns over loan repayments and delays in other CPEC-related projects. The original ML-1 stretches over 1,872 kilometres, running from Karachi to Peshawar and passing through major cities like Hyderabad, Rohri, Multan, Lahore and Rawalpindi. It connects over 90 railway stations and has the capacity to handle more than 75% of passenger and freight traffic. Once completed, the project is expected to transform Pakistan Railways by reducing travel time by half, improving safety standards, increasing train speed up to 160 km per hour and significantly boosting freight capacity. It is expected to turn the country's outdated rail network into a modern, reliable and efficient transport system. Initially, the cost of upgrading ML-1 was estimated at around $6.8 billion. However, due to changing designs, economic instability and currency depreciation, the financial estimate has been revised multiple times. The current estimated cost is around $6.6 billion, though further changes are possible depending on scope adjustments and financing terms. China's reluctance to move forward with ML-1 financing has led Pakistan to approach other lenders, including the ADB. While the ADB has not yet committed funding for the entire project, their recent inspection and meetings indicate a strong interest in exploring different possibilities. Officials believe that if Pakistan is able to present a well-structured proposal and show improved project management capacity, the ADB may step in either fully or partially to fund initial phases. Pakistan Railways views ML-1 as a turning point for the sector's revival, but it is still unclear whether international lenders will step forward at a time when China has apparently pulled back. According to the officials, it will take some time – no one knows how much – before the ADB decides whether to finance the project or not, however, the railways at all levels is trying its best to get financing either entirely or partially, as train derailments in some sections are now becoming a routine, resulting in less passenger traffic.
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
'BRI states must adopt diversified supply chain'
Listen to article In the current environment, the global supply chain has been continuously upgrading digitally, ie, achieving innovative and sustainable development, which is also a major responsibility that Pakistan and China should shoulder together, remarked National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Beijing Office Chief Representative Shaikh Muhammad Shariq. Speaking at a panel discussion on supply chain services held during the 3rd China International Supply Chain Expo, the chief representative pointed out that the key link is to provide complete localised financial services and reduce conflicts between traders, which is crucial for both large leading enterprises and small startups. "The global supply chain must take a diversified path, not only for industrial powers like China, but also for all countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and of course Pakistan, which is jointly developing CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor)." Shariq emphasised, "The optimised financing mechanism will allow us to have smoother capital flow and reduce our reliance on a single path, helping us to seek better financing strategies." Talking specifically about financial links between China and Pakistan, Shariq elaborated on NBP's efforts. "In 1981, we entered the Chinese market and opened a representative office in Beijing. Since then, we have been helping Chinese companies in different fields that are interested in doing business in Pakistan." "From a deeper perspective, policymakers in China and Pakistan have established very deep connections to simplify all financial-related processes, assisting us to confidently provide comprehensive services in the current complex and changing international environment, solving financial problems and of course the most important liquidity problem for enterprises. In a nutshell, a very stable supply chain ecosystem allows better cross-border cooperation between our two countries."
