It is an undeniable fact that Asia is the biggest continent on planet earth. Many international scholars and political analysts are of the view that Asia is under-going through the period of re-evolution. It is, therefore, speculated that this metamorphosis would inflict severe implications on this already ailing and flagging continent. But, another view which is more strongly reasoned that Asia would re-emerge as powerful continent in the ongoing century. The forces in ground would entirely change the fate of the continent along with extending positive and negative vibes for the world as well. The most significant factor in this change rests with the rising China.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is the flagship and pilot project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is being considered as the promising project for the Asia in general and for Pakistan in particular. CPEC has opened the avenues of hopes for Pakistanis which is a promising project that would ensure socio-economic for the vulnerable country. Therefore, the opponents and adversaries are hatching conspiracies and employing hybrid warfare’s tactics to barricade the progress of the aforementioned project.
Unfortunately, CPEC is facing numerous perils like terrorism, security issues and disruptive social behaviors. There is no denying the fact that CPEC is a bilateral and mutual project between the two independent states; Pakistan and India. It is also extending politico-economic implications for the both region and the world. Yao Jing, the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan has clearly stated that, “I want to make it very clear, BRI initiative and with CPEC under it, it’s purely a commercial development project. We don’t have any kind of military or strategic design for that. We don’t want to make the CPEC as such a kind of platform.” Thus, CPEC cannot be termed as a military project but it has a great economic capability and strength which is sending dangerous vibes for the strategic competitors.
The adversaries of Pakistan and china are equally playing against this multi-billion dollar deal. The antagonist forces have launched hybrid warfare to halt the progress coming out of this project. John Mecklin has rightly committed that hybrid warfare is a new technique implied in International level that “can combine Internet-enabled propaganda, a global “dark web” of encrypted communications, cyber attacks, positive and negative economic pressure, espionage, irregular military action, and other efforts that aim to advance political interests without progressing to full-scale war.”
India, on the other hand, flexing its muscles and employing nefarious strategies like irregular tactics, using conventional small weapons, criminal behavior and terrorism to thwart the CPEC project. The USA has also played its vital role in scandalizing the CPEC project. The former has used economic pressure tactics in thwarting and barricading the flight ship project and further appointed the paid cliques for spreading the false information regarding the project like China is making Pakistan its colony and yielding 90 percent benefits for china and will leave Pakistan in lurch after its materialization.
Since the beginning of this project, India has opposed it at all levels and termed it as an illegal project because it passes through the disputed land between the Pakistan and India. Narindra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, had directly approached Chinese counterpart to desist from materializing this illegal project. In addition, New Delhi is also involved in propagating the negative aspects of CPEC to disrupt its progress and spread disbelief among masses regarding the aforementioned project.
Not only this, Indian intelligence agency RAW has been involved in conducting terrorist attacks on CPEC sites to impede the progress and terrorize the investing team. The former is also extending terrorist outfits to obstruct the ongoing infrastructure development in Baluchistan. To quote a fact in this regard brings the Kulbashan jhadave in mind. The latter was arrested by Pakistani law maintaining agencies who was a serving naval commander and was deployed to Baluchistan for spreading terrorism and impeding the CPEC project.
On a relative note, there is also a staunch resentment in the strategic corridors of the USA against the rising China on the geopolitical landscape of the world. Therefore, any project which can enhance the strength of Chinese in regional or international affairs is highly distressing for the Americans. It is a fact that CPEC would reduce China’s dependence on the notorious Strait of Malacca where American hegemony was obvious. China is enduring to increase her sphere of influence in the Asia-pacific and started pursuing its strategic objectives there. China is flexing its muscles to defeat any aggression and power which can subdue its objectives South-Asia.
It is quite interesting that Asia-Pacific is the most desired and valuable strategic location for the Washington to control this region skillfully. But, the development of CPEC and increasing Chinese influence in the region is highly distressing for the Americans. Mike Pompeo, the American secretary of state, has expressed strong discontent on the issue of CPEC in the following words, “make no mistake: we would be watching what the IMF does. There is no rationale for IMF tax dollars- and associated with that, American dollars that are part of the IMF funding- for those to go to bail out Chinese bondholders or China itself”. His warning unveiled the state of uneasiness for the Americans to see the footprints of china in south-Asia through CPEC.
Hence, many seen and unseen forces are working to disrupt the CPEC project and impede the socio-economic progress coming out of it for Pakistan. The foreign and domestic media has launched false movement against the CPEC and spreading untrue information regarding the project. No doubt, it has not obstructed the developmental works but surely annoyed the people of the Pakistan and frustrated the Chinese working under this project. The significant argument in this regard is that the China-Pakistan friendship is time-tested and cannot be dented through false accusations. Nevertheless, the hybrid warfare could extend and harbor certain implications which could only be managed by working together of the two friendly states: Pakistan and China.
