Baloch House

http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2015/12/09/chinas-rocky-silk-road/ 🔴 Many Chinese analysts take a somewhat rosy view that Pakistan’s problems will be resolved by ‘development’ (i.e. huge state sponsored projects undertaken by state-owned companies). But Beijing may find that Islamic fundamentalists cannot be so easily bought off. The CPEC has the potential to fundamentally alter the  China–Pakistan relationship . Until now China has had the luxury of taking the position that Pakistan’s domestic woes were none of its business. But with the security of thousands of nationals and billions of dollars of investments at stake, China may find itself increasingly drawn into Pakistan’s politics and security concerns.  China may need some luck in these endeavours. 🔴 In all likelihood many of these grand projects in the Indian Ocean region will unfold slowly and incrementally and not at the breakneck speed that we used to seeing from China. David Brewster is a visiting fellow at the Strategi

http://www.atimes.com/article/cambodia-eyes-silk-road-connectivity/ Chinese funding is helping the country meet more than US$500 million infrastructure needs By  ASIA UNHEDGED APRIL 7, 2017 1:08 AM (UTC+8) 2 0 Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen says he’ll focus on securing “connectivity infrastructure” to China’s One Belt, One Road project when he attends a major project forum in Beijing next month,  reports  the China Daily. “Our main goal is to focus on infrastructure development,” the PM said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a China-funded road near Phnom Penh. He says Cambodia needs US$500 million to US$700 million a year to develop roads, bridges, electric power and irrigation systems across the country

http://www.businessnews.com.lb/cms/Story/StoryDetails.aspx?ItemID=5997 Funds await proposals from government            The Silk Road Chamber for International Commerce (SRCIC) is ready to grant $2 billion in loans with low interest rates to the local market, according to Adnan Kassar, Chairman of the Economic Bodies and the founding father of Lebanese-Chinese relations. “Tapping these funds is strictly tied with the government’s ability to put forth economic projects with benefit to the road,” Kassar, who is also the honorary Chairman of the SRCIC, said.  The allocation is part of a $5 billion Silk Road International Development Fund that aims to finance deals introduced by SRCIC members.  Kassar said that the hands of the private sector are tied without the support of the government.  “Local officials have to express their willingness to cooperate with China in order for the country to benefit from the Silk Road,” he said. Lu Jianzhong, Chairman of the SRCIC, said: “There a

http://theconversation.com/why-chinas-1-trillion-new-silk-road-plan-is-being-greeted-coolly-by-the-west-75722 April 5, 2017 11.16pm AEST  Filippo Costa Buranelli A bridge too far?  sibgat Beijing is gearing up for a major diplomatic offensive in May as it welcomes Vladimir Putin among 20 international leaders for  a summit  on building a “new Silk Road” to bring China closer to the world. This is the One Belt, One Road project – the centrepiece of Chinese international engagement. It involves a US$1 trillion (£804 billion)  mega-investment  to transform China’s transport and trade links through Eurasia and South-East Asia.  The aim  is for China to become a global pillar of trade and free markets and secure its place as a 21st-century superpower. So far, however, no Western leaders have confirmed their attendance at the summit. What should we read into this, and what does it mean for the success of the project? One Belt, One Road was  unveiled by  Chinese president Xi Jinping fo

http://pakobserver.net/cpec-symbolizes-people-centric-approach-of-pak-china-nawaz/ April 7, 2017      Zahid Chaudhary Islamabad Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that the multi billion CPEC and its related projedts symbolize the people centric approach of the two countries and their resolve for regional connectivity. He was talking to a high level Chinese delegation headed by Chairman of National Committee of Chinese Peoples’ Political Consultative Conference Yu Zhengsheng in Islamabad on Thursday. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif lauded the Chinese diplomatic and materialistic support to Pakistan in its fight against terrorism. He said close cooperation between the two Parliaments will contribute towards further strengthening the friendly relations between Pakistan and China. Warmly welcoming the Chairman and the delegation members to Pakistan, the Prime Minister said the visit will establish institutional linkages between the Parliaments of Pakistan The Prime Minister said t

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/197075-Plan-made-to-benefit-from-CPEC-minister Lahore April 7, 2017 LAHORE Provincial Minister for Irrigation and PIDA Chairman Amanat Ullah Shadikhel has said that a comprehensive strategy is being designed to take maximum benefits from the CPEC project, adding that the farmer community would also be beneficiary of the government efforts on sustainable basis. He said this while presiding over a meeting of the working group on energy and irrigation at his office on Thursday. The meeting discussed and reviewed different policy options to take benefit from the western route of the CPEC project passing through Punjab. The meeting was briefed that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had constituted six different working groups to formulate professional recommendations with regard to western route of CPEC passing along Attock, Chakwal and Mianwali in Punjab. The policy recommendations would also guide the Punjab government about the development plan relating

http://dailytimes.com.pk/pakistan/07-Apr-17/eu-countries-wish-to-join-cpec-ahsan-iqbal By:    agencies 07-Apr-17 ISLAMABAD :  Planning and Development Minister Chaudhry Ahsan Iqbal has said that Pakistan can sustain eight to ten per cent economic growth for next three decades mainly due to China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Addressing a gathering of international business leaders at a Business Summit in Islamabad on Thursday, he said that this high growth rate can bring Pakistan among the top twenty-five economies of the world by 2030. The minister said that CPEC is providing huge opportunities to international investors who can take advantage of these opportunities. Ahsan Iqbal said that the whole world is now looking at this project and concerned ministers of almost all European Union (EU) countries have met him and expressed their wish to join Pakistan by investing in CPEC. He said that this project can create connectivity in the region and connect the three billion p

http ://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xwfw_665399/s2510_665401/2511_665403/t1451770.shtml Q: Some companies in Pakistan are criticizing China for charging too much for infrastructure projects along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), specifically they are criticizing a high voltage transmission line that is being built by China State Grid. And China does not allow for competitive bidding on the Belt and Road projects there, which drives up costs. Do you have any response to that? A: I am wondering where did you learn that. It is different from what I know. We have been saying that the CPEC is a new cooperation framework established by China and Pakistan for long-term growth. Guided by the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, the CPEC is built in an open and transparent way with reference to international practices. It is carried out in a market-based manner with enterprises as the main players. We believe that the CPEC will contribute to

Commander Omani Navy Mr. Abdullah Baluch courageous man with His Majesty Sultan Qaboos who governs Arab Oman as Commander Omani Navy Mr. Abdullah Abdullah Al Baloushi is Baluchi's Mr Abdullah baluch  He knows  Baloch language Mr Abdullah baluch  He has many relatives in Balochistan Commander has become instant hero in Baloch Social media after his visit to India recently. https://twitter.com/national_baluch/status/850111471380041728 اللواء الركن بحري عبدالله بن خميس رئيسي بلوش قائد القوات البحرية العمانية السيد عبدالله البلوشي  الشجاع مع صاحب الجلالة السلطان قابوس الذي يحكم عمان العمانية كما قائد القوات البحرية العمانية عبدالله  البلوشي هو من رئيسي البلوش السيد عبد الله البلوشي يعرف اللغة البلوشية السيد عبدالله البلوشي لديه العديد من الأقارب في بلوشستان المحتلة

http://www.scoopnews.in/det.aspx?q=66245 Farooq Ganderbali Gwadar, till recently a sleepy fishing harbour on the western coast of Pakistan, is today the heart of the much-touted ambitious China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which, it is said, will change the fortunes of Pakistan and lives of millions of people. But the people who live in Gwadar are finding it difficult to buy this dream when they look around their homes and see broken roads and unkempt public places and get only six hours of power supply in a day and water supply twice a week.  Life in Gwadar is difficult; there are few schools for the children to go to and even these schools are very basic and lack required infrastructure; teachers are few and most often absent. Likewise, jobs are even fewer to find here, even with CPEC coming. Most of the workers are being brought from other provinces, especially Punjab. Or the Chinese companies bring their own labour force and machinery and building materials.  The more imme

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1376375/speakers-try-clear-confusions-cpec/ By  YUSRA SALIM  /  Photo: Athar Khan Published: April 6, 2017 CPEC will not only act as a concrete game changer – it will bring opportunities for the common people that they can grab and change the game themselves, said a speaker. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN KARACHI :  In an attempt to clear the confusions and misconceptions among students about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a seminar was organised by the Institute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilization, Karachi University (KU). The seminar, titled ‘Sindh at the Crossroad of Success through CPEC’, reflected on different aspects of CPEC. “I believe that preaching alone can never change a country,” said KU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan. “You have to change objective conditions as well.” He was addressing a gathering comprising students, teachers and Chinese delegates. He reflected on the importance of long-term change. “Our federal and

http://nation.com.pk/national/06-Apr-2017/balochistan-has-eternal-relationship-with-pakistan-fc-ig-maj-gen-nadeem-anjum April 06, 2017, 2:27 pm Frontier Core (FC) Inspect General (IG) Balochistan Major General Nadeem Anjum said the relationship between Pakistan and Balochistan is eternal. “This relationship was strong and will always remain steady,” he said. During his visit to Chehtar, he said that he is proud that he is standing near point where Pakistan’s nuclear bomb was tested. “This is the point which clearly showcased the bond of the federation of Pakistan,” he said. While talking about inclusion of Baloch in central sphere, the IG stated that education is basic need for every citizen to become part of national sphere

http://www.kashmirlife.net/cpec-impact-issue-01-vol-09-136775/ Business   Economy Kashmir Life   Posted on:  Wednesday, April 5th, 2017 Kashmiri expats in Dubai admit the CPEC is a major development in the region and may impact Kashmir but insist the golden glass emirate shall remain unchallenged for the next two decades, at least, reports  Masood Hussain As countries are bee lining to join the new sunrise  in coastal Baluchistan, the $54 Bn China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the real talk that dominates Dubai elite. Dubai monarch sending his contingent to Delhi on the Republic Day is widely being seen as an effort to keep the age-old informal economic union alive as India does not only dominate UAE’s demography but is the second major exporter to the Emirates. A general belief is that $11 Bn Gwadar deep water port will take away part of the business from Dubai because China is the major trading partner. With open visa policy for China, the two countries are currently mo

http://m.greaterkashmir.com/news/opinion/story/245661.html OPINION Trade apart, the security threats are alarming Prof. Mushtaq A. Kaw  Srinagar | Posted : Apr 6 2017 1:46AM | Updated: Apr 5 2017 10:45PM The China-Pakistan-Economic-Corridor (CPEC) is hotly debated in the public domain for its variegated geo-political and geo-strategic implications. Both China and Pakistan present it as a game changer for their respective economies and regional connectivity. However, critics suspect its sustainability for its inbuilt economic hiccups and complex security threats.   Whatever, this joint China-Pakistan intercontinental venture is unique in that it pushed into backyard all the hitherto perceived enterprises for South and Central Asian integration over Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI), Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) and the New US Silk Route (NUSR) initiatives are elusive notwithstanding their announcement ahead of the CPEC in 2013. Precisely, s

https://raffaellopantucci.com/tag/cpec/ New piece for the  Financial Times  excellent  Beyond BRICS  blog, this time providing an evaluation of the links between the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Silk Road Fund and Xi Jinping’s ‘Belt and Road Initiative.’ A lot more on this general topic on my parallel  China in Central Asia  site. This aside, spoke to the  Telegraph  about the recent terror attack in Quetta, Pakistan. China’s Development Lenders Embrace Multilateral Co-operation There has been much speculation on the role of the Silk Road Fund (SRF) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in China’s outward investment push.They are both instruments created by Beijing to provide economic firepower and bring international credibility to the ‘Belt and Road’ vision that has become President Xi Jinping’s keynote foreign policy concept. But in reality they have both undertaken a series of investments that, while substantial and linked to ‘Belt and Road’ count

Source :  The Express Tribune    Date :  06-04-2017    "Britain is a country of free-trade influence and can be an important partner for China and Pakistan in the delivery of huge infrastructure projects that are being planned between the two countries," Hands said. British Minister of State for International Trade has suggested that being a country of global influence, Britain can play a crucial role in delivery of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as he spoke at a business round table in London. The round table was arranged by Royal United Service Institute (RUSI), a British institute that has conducted extensive research regarding viability of British cooperation with China and Pakistan in CPEC. A full-scale conference to discuss specific areas of cooperation is planned in Pakistan for May this year, which is being advised and conducted by the Islamabad-based Pakistan-China Institute. Islamabad, April 06: The United Kingdom has expressed its desire to become

April 05, 2017 | By Murtaza Ali Shah | World   LONDON: A business roundtable on ‘UK`s participation in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)` - a flagship project of China’s broader ‘One Belt One Road (OBOR)’ initiative- was organised by the Department of International Trade at Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by Rt Hon Greg Hands Minister of State for International Trade, H.E. Syed Ibne Abbas, Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK, H.E. Thomas Drew, British High Commissioner to Pakistan, H.E. Liu Xiaoming, Chinese Ambassador to UK, besides other senior officials of the three countries.  Other participants in the roundtable included experts from City UK, RUSI and the China Britain Business Council. Businesses including HSBC, Deloitte and Standard Chartered also discussed how they and other British firms could support the delivery of CPEC. The representatives of the three countries expressed their resolve to work to

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1375524/malaysian-delegation-wants-utilise-gwadar-port/ By  APP Published: April 6, 2017 5 ISLAMABAD :  In a bid to capitalise on the rise of regional integration, a Malaysian delegation on Wednesday expressed its interest to help develop projects like ferry service operation, construction of dedicated terminals at Pakistani ports and establishment of industry in the Gwadar port free zone. CPEC will ‘pave way for development’   Both countries agreed that a joint working group on maritime cooperation of Pakistan and Malaysia may be established. ADVERTISEMENT Ad These decisions were reached at a meeting held between a high level delegation headed by former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and Pakistan’s Minister for Port and Shipping Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo. The visiting delegation included leading industrialists and businessmen. The meeting discussed potential avenues of investment and explored possibilities of joint ventures in Pak

http://indianexpress.com/article/world/pakistans-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-approves-creation-of-special-force-to-protect-cpec-4601093/ BY:  PTI  | PESHAWAR |Published On: April 5, 2017 10:13 Pm Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has principally approved creation of a special security force with a strength of 4,200 personnel initially to protect the CPEC projects, Chinese nationals and its investments in the restive province. An official of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Home and Tribal Affairs Department said the provincial government is taking keen interest in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects and will ensure providing better security to all the investors in the best interest of the province. The Home and Tribal Affairs Department and provincial police has completed their consultations on the formation and features of CPEC Security Force, the official said. For the purposes, provincial government will purchase equipment, weapons, ammunition, vehicles etc of worth Rs 1.2 billi