Impact Of Pak China Economic Corridor.docx

Impact Of Pak China Economic Corridor: An international trade route in Pakistan just started up by a Chinese vessel transferring goods to the Middle East and Africa. The economic route is being developed by China in Pakistan is likely to make huge amount of economic advantages for both countries. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor CPEC is one of the most important developments of the ‘One Belt, One Road’ projects started by China that aims to link the China with Europe and Africa making the most important country in world economic affairs. CPEC connects northwestern region of Xinjiang of China with Pakistan’s Port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea via a network of Highways, Rail system (2,500 km road and rail Route) and Pipelines to transport oil, gas and other resources. The investment of $46 billion by China Is not limited to roads and rail link but also on other infrastructure projects which include development of Gwadar port, a new international airport in Gwadar, and several energy projects that will add around 10,400 MW in National Power Grid. Pakistan today is starving for foreign investment in country because of security situation. Foreign companies may set up distribution networks to fulfill domestic demand after completion of Gwadar Port. After the successfully implementation on CPEC it will be a signal for the world that Pakistan is truly open for business and its inexpensive labor and fresh educated demographic is an alternative to India, Bangladesh and South East Asia etc. However, CPEC grantees a permanent Chinese existence in Pakistan, it also assures Pakistan’s stability. Chinese investment in Pakistan will make a strong China-Pakistan relationship which is a good thing for stability of Pakistan and China will also not want a destabilized Pakistan due to its interests in the region.

Importance Of Gwadar Port: In the changing dynamics of global architecture, the sea politics is getting complex with more focus on commercial activities and economic prosperity. Gwadar port is the warm water and deep sea port of Pakistan. It is situated at the mouth of Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and holds 2/3 world oil reserves. Historically, it was purchased by the Pakistan in 1958 from Omani Sultanate at the cost of US $3 million. During its construction phase, from 1988-1992 small port was constructed. In 2007, General Musharraf inaugurated the port. From 2007-2012, Gwadar port remained under Port Singapore Authority (PSA) but due to its poor performance, the port was handed over to China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC) in 2013. Since then the construction work has been done at a rapid pace. Along with the Gwadar port, the building up of Gwadar city, Gwadar power generation plants and Gwadar International Airport are the proposed projects under development. The port has started shipment, seasonal cargo and commercial trade but it is still under construction and it has been reported that port would be fully operation till end of this year.

Gwadar will help Pakistan to monitor the Sea Lines of Communications (SLOCs) originating from the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Gwadar will able to control the oil sea routes and trade links among regions such as South Asia, Africa, Central Asia, Gulf and Middle East. It will provide strategic leverage to Pakistan vis-à-vis India, as the port is far from Indian reach as compared to other two Pakistani ports. Gwadar will increase job opportunities for Pakistani people and help in economic development through transit trade fee and foreign exchange reserves. Gwadar will boost up co-operation of Pakistan with other countries in oil and energy sector. Tourism, trade, hotel industry and state revenue will increase which will strengthened country’s economy. Gwadar offers tax free investments and trade, thus attracting large number of foreign investors to open new development projects and economic plans.

Environmental Concerns (Environmental issues in Pakistan) Environmental issues in Pakistan include deforestation, air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, climate change, pesticide misuse, soil erosion, natural disasters and desertification These are serious environmental problems that Pakistan is facing, and they are getting worse as the country's economy expands and the population grows. Little is being done to tackle these issues, because the goals of economic growth and tackling terrorism within the country supersede the goals of environmental preservation. Although NGOs and government departments have taken initiatives to stop environmental degradation, Pakistan's environmental issues still remain. The majority of Pakistan's industrial sectors, for example fishing and agriculture, which count for more than one fourth of the output and two fifths of employment in Pakistan,[1] are highly dependent on the country's natural resources. Hence in order to sustain economic growth there is a high demand on already scarce natural resources. However it is ironic that what the country depends on for its growth is also what threatens the future welfare and success of the country. According to the World Bank,[2] 70% of Pakistan's population live in rural areas and are already stricken by high poverty levels. These people depend on natural resources to provide income and tend to overuse these resources. This leads to further degradation of the environment and subsequently increases poverty Pollution he World Bank report in 2013 stated that Pakistan's top environmental issues include air pollution, inadequate supply of uncontaminated drinking water, noise pollution and the health deterioration of urban and rural populations due to pollution. These environmental concerns not only harm Pakistani citizens but also pose a serious threat to the country's economy. Water pollution Pakistan faces a major scarcity when it comes to water resources, especially finding clean water. There is only one major river, the Indus River, which supplies water throughout the agricultural plains in Punjab and in Sindh, while the rest of the country has very little access to other fresh water.[1] The scarcity of water not only threatens Pakistan's economy but also poses a serious threat to the lives of millions of Pakistanis.

Noise pollution The megacities of Pakistan, such as Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi, face the issue of noise pollution. The main source of this pollution is the traffic noise caused by buses, cars, trucks, rickshaws and water tankers. A study showed that on one of Karachi's main roads, the average noise level was around 90 dB and was capable of reaching about 110 dB. This is much higher than the ISO's noise level standard of 70 dB, which is not meant to be harmful to the human ear. However, the study also concluded that in Pakistan, "the traffic noise levels limit as laid down by National Environment Quality standards, Environmental Protection Agency is 85 dB Air pollution Air pollution is a growing environmental problem day by day in Karachi, especially in the large metropolises. According to a World Bank report, "Karachi's urban air pollution is among the most severe in the world and it engenders significant damages to human health and the economy"The inefficient use of energy, an increase in the number of vehicles used daily, an increase in unregulated industrial emissions and the burning of garbage and plastic have contributed the most to air pollution in urban areas. According to a recent study, Karachi's Environment Protection Department claims that the average level of pollution in big cities is approximately four times higher than the World Health Organisation's limits. These emissions have detrimental effects, including "respiratory diseases, reduced visibility, loss of vegetation and an effect on the growth of plants."

References (n.d.). Retrieved from China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Its Impact on Region: https://medium.com/supply-chain-hubspot/china-pakistan-economic-corridor-and-its-impact-onregion-b18b2aa01cc4 (n.d.). Retrieved from https://agrihunt.com/articles/pak-agri-outlook/environmental-issues-and-itssolution-in-pakistan/ Environmental issues in Pakistan. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_Pakistan Plantation the only solution to environmental problems: Mushahidullah. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.app.com.pk/plantation-solution-environmental-problems-mushahidullah/ Significance Of Gwadar Port. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ipripak.org/significance-of-gwadar-port/