Kochi: Balochistan’s announcement of freedom has unnerved China which has invested billions of dollars in the Gwadar Port and major mining ventures part of the CPEC projects.
A purported letter issued in the name of the “Republic of Balochistan” has gone viral with global attention shifting to Pakistan’s restive southwestern province.
The reports claim that Baloch separatists have declared independence from Pakistan and now control 44 per cent of the territory which is the least populated and underdeveloped with huge natural resources, including copper, gold, natural gas, coal and rare minerals.
Beijing’s interest in Balochistan is linked to the 65 billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), one of the flagship projects under Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), News18 reported.
The CPEC aims at connecting western China to the Arabian Sea through a network of highways, railways, energy projects, and ports.
The Chinese Gwadar deep-sea port is operated by Chinese interests and is viewed as the centrepiece of CPEC.
Gwadar can become a major gateway connecting Chinese goods to the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and separatist groups oppose Chinese involvement in the province.
Chinese nationals have repeatedly been targeted in attacks, including bombings, ambushes, and assaults on infrastructure.
Even so, security remains one of the biggest risks facing Chinese investments in the province.
Photo: X
