The Impact of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on the Socio-economic Dynamics of Gilgit Baltistan
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Date
2021
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UMT, Lahore
Abstract
Gilgit-Baltistan is one of the lesser-known regions of the subcontinent. Recently, global interest in this region has been stirred because of its strategic importance, its natural resources, and the Belt-and-Road (BRI) initiative of China, which includes the building of a passage through Gilgit-Baltistan to the Gwadar Port in Pakistan. The passage will link the Chinese mainland to the warm waters of the Arabian Sea for facilitating Chinese trade interest. The road linking China with the Arabian Sea will be built under the CPEC project. However, this project is not resulting in any significant improvements, socio-economic development, and employment generation for the local community. Besides, the region is also attracting global attention due to increasing human rights violations, sectarian strife, economic deprivation, and environmental destruction. The Pakistani state, including its armed forces, has yet to devise a comprehensive strategy to deal with these issues. CPEC project is also viewed in the Gilgit Baltistan region in a negative perspective. Especially, if the Chinese security personnel is deployed in the region for securing the construction activity, that may have further geostrategic international complications. Such a situation may lead to internal resistance which may hamper the progress of work. The persistence of discontent in the region is likely to affect the multibillion-dollar CEPC project. This Research will attempt to explain the impact of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on the Socio-economic Dynamics of Northern Areas of Pakistan (Gilgit-Baltistan) and it will also present a proposal to reshape the socio-economic dynamics of Gilgit Baltistan to provide the local population prospects for better living conditions.