Executive Director of GVI's Islamabad Centre Lectures on China-Pakistan Relations and CPEC

Naseem Khan Achakzai, Executive Director of the Grandview Institution Islamabad Centre and Advisor to the Office of the Deputy Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, delivered a lecture at the Grandview Institution on 28 August. The lecture was titled "The Current State of China-Pakistan Relations and the Prospects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor."

Naseem emphasised that certain nations are dissatisfied with the prosperous China-Pakistan relationship and anticipate the failure of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative in Pakistan. They disseminate false narratives in Pakistan, including the "China collapse theory" and the assertion that Chinese investments in Pakistan are equivalent to neo-colonialism and a debt trap. These rumours may have a detrimental effect on China-Pakistan relations in the short term; however, they will not alter the robust foundation of the two nations as good neighbours, brothers, friends, and partners in the long term.

Pakistan, which boasts a pro-China government, abundant cheap labour, and high-quality ports such as Gwadar and Karachi, is an ideal location for Chinese companies to invest and further explore the potential of China-Pakistan cooperation. The objective of this partnership is to achieve mutual benefits and prosperity for the citizens of both countries by bringing economic development, job opportunities, and infrastructure improvements to Pakistan.

Naseem observed that the Pakistani government is making efforts to eliminate these threats in response to the recent increase in terrorist attacks in Pakistan, which has been attributed to the activities of groups such as ISIS-Khorasan, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, and the Balochistan Liberation Army. He acknowledged that the restrictive measures on the freedom of movement for Chinese nationals in Pakistan, which were implemented to ensure their safety, may appear excessive; however, they are a necessary response to the situation. He pleaded for tolerance from his Chinese acquaintances, reassuring them that the Pakistani government will promptly remove these restrictions once the terrorist threat has diminished.