Baloch House

Recorder Report   Updated 01 Jan 2021 ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser said the timeline be strictly followed to complete the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects while keeping in view the international standards. He expressed these views while chairing the second meeting of the Steering Committee on Chasma Right Bank Canal Project (CRBC) in the Parliament House on Thursday. The speaker said the CPEC-related projects of DI Khan Motorway, Chakdara Motorway, Greater Peshawar Region Mass Transit–Circular Rail Project, the CRBC, and Rashakai Special Economic Zone should be completed timely keeping in view the international standards. He also said that timeline be strictly followed to complete those projects. He said the CPEC-related projects in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa would usher in an era of prosperity and development. He said those projects would bring employment opportunities and would open new avenues for new businesses and industrial development. Federal Min

Author : IANS | Thu, December 31, 2020 11:54am Islamabad, Dec 31 Speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly Asad Qaisar has invited Afghan businessmen to take part in ... Open in App Islamabad, Dec 31 Speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly Asad Qaisar has invited Afghan businessmen to take part in economic activities under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Speaking to Afghan Minister of Industry and Commerce Nisar Ahmad Ghoryani in Islamabad on Wednesday, Qaisar invited Afghan businessmen to invest in the Rashakai Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to be set up under CPEC, Xinhua news agency reported. Qaisar said economic cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and improved trade and transit facilities would help to connect Central Asia and beyond. He also proposed the establishment of a border entry point for trade at Wakhan border, which would also open gates to Central Asia. "Promotion of trade and economic links between Pakistan and Afghanistan would usher into

National INP January 01, 2021 BEIJING: China, Pakistan Economic Corridor is to maximize the chances of regional economic integration and enhance connectivity among neighboring countries.This was stated by Chinese scholar and... Share Next Story >>> BEIJING: China, Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is to maximize the chances of regional economic integration and enhance connectivity among neighboring countries. This was stated by Chinese scholar and former Defense Attache in South Asian countries Cheng Xizhong in an article published by China Economic Net (CEN) on Thursday. In this connection, he referred to recent statement of Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood. In which he had stated that the CPEC will boost trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan, maximizing the chances of regional economic integration. Prof. Cheng noted that Pakistan has already permitted Afghanistan to utilize Gwadar Port and Bin Qasim Port as a goodwill gesture to en

Read on App Agencies As many as 92% of Balochistan districts are classified as high deprived. Even the gas-rich Dera Bugti district has the lowest HDI in Pak. Balochistan has the lowest literacy rate (43%), including the least net enrolment rate for primary schools. Synopsis The progress on CPEC has reportedly slowed down due to the economic downturn, restrictions by the IMF’s bail-out programme on fresh borrowings, outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Beijing also appears hesitant to take up new projects due to bureauc... By  Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury ,  ET Bureau Dec 31, 2020, 09:19 PM IST Situation in  Balochistan ,  Pakistan ’s biggest province, could emerge as Achilles' Heel for  China ’s mega BRI and its jewel in the crown  CPEC . The progress on CPEC has reportedly slowed down due to the economic downturn, restrictions by the IMF’s bail-out programme on fresh borrowings, outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Beijing also appears hesitant to take up new projects due to bureaucratic i

The signing of Tibetan policy into law by US is a ray of hope for oppressed nations across the world. The people of Balochistan are also suffering from Chinese nefariousness through its OBOR projects with occupying Pakistani state. The US and western countries should support the just war of Baloch nation, which is the only power in region that is standing in front of Chinese military expansionism. - Bashir Zeb Baloch  https://twitter.com/BZ_Baluch/status/1344603435396694017

KHURRAM HUSAIN SOMETIME around the first week of December, the residents of Gwadar woke up to find work taking place to build a large metal fence that would stretch from just north of the old airport and extend westward along a road known as the Balochistan Broadway Avenue. The total length of the fence would be 24 kilometres, and according to what the locals were able to gather, it is planned to extend in a straight line along the central divider of Broadway Avenue and then cut straight south to the sea. Along the way, it will cut two habitations of 30 to 40 houses into two parts, one part inside the fence and one outside. The master plan for Gwadar includes three special zones, known as the Gwadar Port Free Zone (2,280 acres), GIEDA Industrial Zone (3,000 acres) and EPZA export processing zone (1,000 acres). As part of the infrastructure development programme for these three zones, a series of projects are envisioned, including construction of roads, utilities, warehouses and securit

ANI 28 December 2020, 7:58 pm Gwadar port (File Photo) Islamabad [Pakistan], December 28 (ANI): Balochistan authorities plan to fence off the entire 24-square-kilometer area surrounding the Gwadar seaport to protect the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project from the rising number of attacks on Chinese installations by the people of Balochistan as a sign of protest. Citing the sources, Asia Times reported that the Pakistan army, in collaboration with the Makran Administration, Gwadar Development Authority, Gwadar Port Authority and the Balochistan government, would carry out the project under the Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan. Work on erecting barbed-wire fencing around Gwadar's sensitive parts, which is planned to be complete in phases, has already started. Authorities plan to have 15,000 acres of land secured with iron barriers in the first phase of the project, wrote FM Shakil in an article in Asia Times. There will be only three entry and exit points to monitor th

Getty Images Synopsis Beijing has grown apprehensive following Pak Army’s failure to control the rising number of attacks on Chinese projects in Balochistan which houses the entry point of CPEC. The attacks have peaked in 2020. By  Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury ,  ET Bureau Last Updated:  Dec 29, 2020, 10:08 AM IST NEW DELHI: Pakistan is fencing off the entire 24-square-kilometer area surrounding the Gwadar port in Balochistan at China’s behest following an increase in attacks against Chinese assets in the region. The  Pakistan army  in collaboration with the local authorities would execute the project in what would be a gated enclave under the Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan, ET has reliably learnt. Authorities plan to have 15,000 acres of land secured with iron barriers in the first phase of the project, claimed persons familiar with the plan. ADVERTISEMENT Beijing has grown apprehensive following Pak Army’s failure to control the rising number of attacks on Chinese projects in Balochist

Mega development initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor cannot succeed without local buy-in and ownership. Rafiullah Kakar, Dawn.com 33 minutes ago The Baloch fear that increased militarisation at Gwadar port will intensify repression and further restrict people’s movement. | Aamir Qureshi / AFP Media reports about Pakistan government’s plan to fence the port town of Gwadar for security reasons have sparked a controversy. Baloch political parties have termed it a conspiracy and vowed to resist it at all forums. This discontent is part of a wider societal scepticism towards Islamabad-led mega economic development projects in Balochistan, especially the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. In response, the civilian and military elites maintain that CPEC will promote economic development and address major gaps in physical and energy infrastructure. ADVERTISEMENT There is no denying that economic development interventions, such as CPEC, have the potential to

A general view of the port before the inauguration of the China-Paistan Economic Corridor port. File | Photo Credit:  Reuters Ananth Krishnan 28 DECEMBER 2020 20:04 IST UPDATED: 28 DECEMBER 2020 21:59 IST         Chinese Foreign Ministry denied that it had sought the additional guarantees and said CPEC projects were on track despite the pandemic. China on Monday said reports suggesting it was seeking additional guarantees from Pakistan before sanctioning a loan for a key project under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship plan under President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), were “baseless”. Beijing also defended the progress of the CPEC plan, following reports in the Pakistani press last week that concerns over Pakistan’s ability to pay back loans as it grapples with the impact of the pandemic had emerged in recent negotiations. The  Express Tribune  newspaper reported China had sought additional guarantees before sanctioning a $6 billion loan for Main Li

Top Story Our Correspondent   December 29, 2020 ISLAMABAD: Experts from diverse fields on Monday noted that the second phase of the CPEC is set to boost Pak-China cooperation in agriculture and initiate an era of industrialization through... Share Next Story >>> ISLAMABAD: Experts from diverse fields on Monday noted that the second phase of the CPEC is set to boost Pak-China cooperation in agriculture and initiate an era of industrialization through establishment of Special Economic Zones. They spoke here at the 6th China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Media Forum. The forum was jointly organized by the Pakistan-China Institute (PCI) and China Economic Net (CEN) in cooperation with the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Pakistan. It is conducted as an annual event in Beijing and Islamabad in alternate years. Due to COVID-19, this year’s forum was held virtually and was themed “Post-epidemic China-Pakistan Media Cooperation”. The forum conducted discussions on

Two Baloch activists in exile have been found dead this year – one in Canada, the other in Sweden. Major General Yash Mor 9 hours ago A demonstration in Karachi after Pakistani human rights activist Karima Mehrab, also known as Karima Baloch, was found dead in Toronto, on December 24. | Rizwan Tabassum/ AFP The death of human rights activist Karima Baloch in Toronto last week has again brought world attention to the trouble in Pakistan’s Balochistan region. The 37-year-old activist had gone missing after setting out for a walk. The police said that they had no reason to suspect foul play but her family told the  BBC  that “her death at least warrants closer inspection”. Baloch, an advocate for independence for her resource-rich region, had been living in exile in Canada since 2016. She had fled Pakistan the previous year, fearing she would be “disappeared” by the authorities as several other activists had been. ADVERTISEMENT This wasn’t the first death of a Baloch activist in exile thi

Source: Social Media, Hakkal The fighters of Baloch Liberation Army attacked outposts of Pakistani military in Jhalawan Thank area of Shahrag, Bolan and killed 11 personnel of Pakistani military. The outposts were completely captured in the attack. BLA accepts responsibility of today’s attack.  The fighters of Baloch Liberation Army, under organised plans, attacked and subsequently captured outposts of Pakistani military in Bolan today. At least 11 personnel of Pakistani military were killed in the attack, whereas, multiple others fled leaving behind their weapons and dead bodies. The outposts were under the control of BLA for more than two hours and the weapons and belongings of enemy forces were confiscated. The uncivilised occupying forces have been completely defeated by Baloch freedom fighters on all fronts. Therefore, they have resorted to violence on innocent civilians, particularly women and children, and non-combatant political workers. Now their cunning acts are not limited t

Online signature campaign launched to demand justice for Karima Baloch         26 December, 2020 by  ANI Toronto [Canada] December 26 (ANI): An online signature campaign has been launched to demand justice for Karima Baloch, a human rights activist who was found dead mysteriously early this week in a lake in Toronto city. As of now, over 350 activists, journalists, academics, intellectuals and concerned citizens of the world have signed the collective appeal asking Toronto police to further investigate Karima Baloch's death. The Toronto police on December 23 termed the death of Karima Baloch, a "non-criminal death", but the family and friends are demanding a thorough investigation into the case. Baloch had campaigned vigorously against the disappearances and human rights violations in the troubled Balochistan province of Pakistan. "We launched the Justice for Karima Baloch collective to urge the Canadian authorities to further investigate Karima's death and consi

ANI |  Updated:  Dec 26, 2020 12:10 IST Turbat ( Balochistan ) [ Pakistan ], December 26 (ANI): Hundreds of people hit the streets of Turbat  city  of  Balochistan  to protest against the "cold-blooded assassination" of Human rights activist Karima Baloch. The protestors, many of them women, were seen holding placards reading: 'Stop genocide', 'cold-blooded assassination of Karmia Baloch'. They raised slogans against the  Pakistan i government and demanded independence of  Balochistan . The dead body of Karima Baloch, a well-known human rights and political activist who took refuge in Canada after fleeing  Pakistan  in 2015 due to serious threats to her life in  Balochistan , was found dead in Ontario Lake Toronto harbourfront Monday morning after being missing on Sunday afternoon. Human rights activists have demanded a probe into the death of the activist. On Thursday, the "Friends of Karima Baloch"also staged a protest outside the Toronto police he

The Big Lens             Seshadri Chari, DEC 27 2020, 00:58 IST   UPDATED: DEC 27 2020, 01:34 IST Seshadri Chari. The sudden disappearance and the subsequent death in Canada of 35-year-old Karima Baloch, one of the popular leaders of the Balochistan freedom movement, does come as a shock, though not as a surprise. She was on the hit list of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for quite some time and had aired her fears about being targeted by the Pakistani military for speaking up against it. This is not the first time that a high-profile anti-Islamabad Baloch leader has met Karima’s fate. In March this year, Baloch journalist Sajid Hussain was found dead in the Fyris River near Uppsala in Sweden. He was the editor of  Balochistan Times , a news website covering human rights violations, forced disappearances, and the drug trafficking menace in Pakistan. Although the Swedish police closed the case as “probable suicide or accidental death,” the Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RS