Political Economy of CPEC: A way to National Integration

Abstract

A plethora of studies have attempted to spell out the geopolitics and geo-economics of the
CPEC; nevertheless, there is a scarcity of literature on the interaction of Pakistan's internal
politics with the CPEC. Thus, the subject of this study is the political economy of China Pakistan
Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its influence on national integration in Pakistan. The progress of
CPEC stirred some conflicts in Pakistan, on the top of which were the concerns raised from
Baluchistan. The issues were later resolved after realizing that the project is a key to boost
development and integration throughout the country. Due to changes in the original route, CPEC
has also faced reservations in KPK. The lack of national consensus is a major hurdle for the
smooth sailing of the project. Therefore, these allegations were rejected by both the Chinese and
the Pakistani government. The government negotiated with dissenting parties and assured them
that projects under CPEC will lead to development in the province. It will address issues like
poverty and upgrade the socio-economic status of KPK. Keeping in view these developments,
scholars think that CPEC is a step in the right direction and if the government brings all the
stakeholders to the table and addresses their concerns wisely it will not only cause economic
development but also fulfill the geopolitical objectives of the country.