An Exclusive Interview with Mr Khalid Rahman, Executive President Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad

China’s plans for global connectivity and the role Pakistan is set to play in this regard are the true ‘game-changer’.

Executive President Institute of Policy Studies, Mr Khalid Rahman,  has vast experience in research, conducting policy discussions, training and management. The main focus of his research has been on the national and regional politics, Pak-China relations, madrassah and gender studies. He is considered an authority on Pakistan-China relations and his articles regularly appear in various newspapers. Jahangir’s World Times recently conducted a conversation with Mr Rehman wherein he talked at length about various aspects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the prospects for, and challenges to, this “game-changer” project.

Jahangir’s World Times (JWT): How will you grade Pak-China Relations in the contemporary era?

Khalid Rehman (KR): Pak-China relations are seen as a paragon of inter-state cordiality and friendliness. Not only have these relations been exemplary at the state level, an extraordinarily deep-rooted love for each other has also been exuded at the public level.

In the contemporary context, the most conspicuous change is China’s opening up to the world that has placed it in a better position to play a much bigger role in global affairs. President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road initiative (BRI) is one of the first but key initiatives in this regard. Pakistan also has a bigger role to play in the implementation of this initiative as China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an important project and a key part of the BRI.

Keeping in view their own needs, both Pakistan and China are paying great attention to the CPEC venture, it has some important regional and global dimensions too. Nonetheless, CPEC represents but only one aspect of Pak-China relations which go well beyond that, having political and strategic dimensions as well. Hence, looking at Pak-China relations only through the CPEC lens is a flawed approach as they should be looked upon in a much broader perspective.

JWT: How do you see CPEC as a game-changer for Pakistan and the region at large?

KR: Owing to its distinct geographical location at the crossroads of South, West and Central Asia, Pakistan holds significant potential to grow and develop. Unfortunately, multifarious global and regional dynamics along with our own mistakes have impeded our way. CPEC, however, provides Pakistan with a great opportunity to exploit this unique geographical location to its benefit effectively. China’s plans for global connectivity and the role Pakistan is set to play in this regard are the true ‘game-changer’ – or in the words of some Chinese analysts a ‘scenario-changer’.

Since these are mainly connectivity projects for effective implementation of which peace and stability are a sine qua non. As these projects materialize and move forward, the regional actors will increasingly try to find therein a role for themselves. It will also promote peace in the region. For example, Iran’s Chabahar Port was until recently being portrayed as a competitor to Gawadar Port, but now both Pakistan and Iran are moving closer to declaring both as sister ports. It became possible because of the opportunities that would be created in the region through cooperation. In the same way, Russia and Central Asian Republics, too, have shown their interest in these projects. In domestic sense, it is a real game-changer, as until now $58b have been invested in Pakistan and there are possibilities that the amount will be increased in the near future. The business and investment opportunities brought forth by CPEC in Pakistan have now overshadowed the propaganda of country’s being an extremist state.

JWT: What are the main ingredients of CPEC and how are they important for Pakistan’s economy?

KR: A general perception about CPEC is that it’s the name of a road or a corridor. This is true but only to some extent as the network of roads is only one part of the project; the venture as whole is much larger and multidimensional. It includes building of infrastructure projects, Gwadar Port – potentially among the biggest deep sea ports in the world – energy projects, as well as the establishment of economic zones. These projects are important for Pakistan from many aspects. This internal connectivity – be it in the form of roads or communication projects – will not only be useful in uniting the country from within, but will also provide opportunities of increased interaction and trade between different parts of the country. And, this increases the importance of CPEC for Pakistan manifold.

JWT: What, in your opinion, are the main internal and external challenges to the CPEC?

KR: First, I would like to comment on the internal challenges. From Pakistan’s perspective, they mainly are governance issues and deficiencies. We were never short of good plans but we were worst on their implementation. CPEC is another very good plan; and though there is a genuine governmental commitment to execute it in a better way, there still are issues which must be resolved, especially those pertaining to transparency, lack of confidence among state institutions and little cooperation between the Center and the provinces. In addition, some foreign conspirators may try to break mutual trust and rapport between Pakistan and China. Any attempts of deliberately creating misunderstandings to sabotage the goodwill of these projects could be another daunting internal challenge.

As regards the matter of external challenges, we must keep in mind that China wields an extraordinary position in global politics and that has been to the detriment of the global standing of other players. So, such a leading role for China may not go well with them. Same is the case within the region where some countries see China as an obstacle in their way to achieving the status of a hegemon in this part of the world. It will be no surprise, then, if they try to affect the flagship Chinese project of CPEC in any way.

The volatile and complex security situation and the presence of anti-Pakistan and anti-China elements on the Afghan soil is another difficult external challenge. There still exist various forces, actors and agencies of many countries in Afghanistan that will be out to create difficulties in the implementation of the CPEC. CPEC has to cross all through Pakistan and since the country shares a long border with Afghanistan, the movements on the border can also affect the initiative.

JWT: What, then, could be an ideal arrangement between Pakistan and China for the implementation of CPEC projects while also addressing the concerns of Pakistani public?

KR: I think Pakistani people generally don’t have any direct concerns on CPEC, yet some are being created through propaganda or disinformation campaigns. Pakistan’s political scenario fluctuates, especially during elections, and political parties whether in power or in opposition exaggerate each other’s faults to gain political mileage. Consequently, confusion is created among the masses and it eventually leads to creating concerns. So, the ideal arrangement, as I have already pointed out, is that there should be transparency and good governance and actual information should be shared with the public.

I do understand the concerns raised by different quarters on the ToRs of various projects. This is natural as during any negotiations, each party strives to secure its own interests to the maximum extent and the side with the better homework gains more. So, the ToRs of different projects should be clear and the element of corruption should be adequately addressed. Moreover, the companies working on the projects should also be asked to generously contribute toward fulfilling their corporate social responsibility (CSR). If the company is gaining profit and there is lack of, say, education in that area, the company should set up educational institutions there. Such steps can go a long way in building trust for the CPEC at the grassroots level.

JWT: What impact Pakistani premier’s recent visit to China could have on CPEC and OBOR?

KR: If we look closely, Pakistan has no direct role in OBOR, however Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to China to attend the OBOR Summit gave a message to the world: on the one hand, we are participating in CPEC while we also support BRI, on the other, and are ready to extend every possible support. The visit was significant in the context of CPEC as well. The PM’s delegation comprised the chief ministers of the four provinces – representing different shades of political opinions – and it was symbolic to show the national consensus on CPEC and Pakistan’s relations with China. So, I would call it an opportunity well utilized by the PM and his team.

JWT: How do you see India’s concerns regarding the inclusion of Gilgit-Baltistan in the CPEC?

KR: CPEC or no CPEC, Indian concerns are always there on Pakistan, one way or another, owing to the long-standing animosity between the two countries. Regarding CPEC, Indians think that by not objecting to Gilgit-Baltistan’s inclusion, they would be allowing China to acknowledge the region as a part of Pakistan’s territory.

But, I think Indian concerns provide Pakistan an opportunity to demand UN resolution on the Kashmir issue because Pakistan has always maintained that Kashmir is a disputed territory, and UN resolutions are very much there to provide the basis for this claim. So, we can pretty much build on this Indian objection and should rather demand for the implementation of UN resolutions.

JWT: As you know general elections are drawing closer, so what could be the possible impact of any change in governmental policies, if PML-N fails to win the 2018 election?

KR: It is a reality that an overwhelming majority of Pakistani people supports Pak-China relations. There is no single public opinion survey wherein people might have shown concerns about this relationship. If we look at the current situation of political parties in Pakistan, there isn’t a single party which would try to undermine our relationship with China. Our past political history is also evident of sturdy Pak-China relations; whether it was a military rule or a political setup in place. You can also conclude the same from the entourage that accompanied the Prime Minister in his visit to China as all the major political figures were on one page regarding the CPEC. So, I don’t think elections of 2018 or change of government will have any significant impact on CPEC.

JWT: How do you see the role of media regarding CPEC?

Ans: Although media has largely played a positive role, yet it has been questionable at times. Media is supposed to educate people and to convey right information to the masses. Unfortunately, in our case, some media outlets have focused more on sensationalism by running after breaking news; hence eventually creating ambiguities in the minds of people.