Mushahid for proactive efforts to counter negativity against CPEC

Islamabad : Former Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed condemning the global smear campaign against BRI has stressed the importance of proactive efforts to counter the negativity sought to be built around BRI and its related project CPEC.

Mushahid was addressing as chief guest on the launch Dr Rabia Akhtar’s edited book “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor beyond 2030: a green alliance for sustainable development” organised here by Institute of Strategic Studies (ISS).

Mushahid said that China is the only country that helped other countries develop and grow by contributing to their strength without expanding or colonising them. He commended the editor and the authors for doing great work by highlighting the importance of CPEC and suggesting a futuristic course for its green development.

He recalled how China undertook massive reforms, achieved modernisation and was now focused on “peaceful rise.” China has the highest number of Fortune 500 companies and helped 800 million people lifted from poverty, the biggest number in human history. He also noted that China’s Belt and Road Initiative, despite being criticised by Western countries and their allies, has been copied into other projects like the Build Back Better World (B3W) and India-Middle East-Europe- Economic Corridor (IMEC) etc.

Xu Hangtian, Minister Counselor, Embassy of China, speaking as guest of honour said that the dedication of the authors and their detailed work produced a masterpiece that will serve as a valuable resource on CPEC for years to come. During the implementation of CPEC, both China and Pakistan were confronted by challenges of sustainability. To offset those, numerous projects were carried out including export and manufacturing of sustainable energy technology in Pakistan including in solar and wind domains.

Dr Salma Mehar Fatima Malik from QAU noted that the book delves into the political, geostrategic and environmental aspects of CPEC. It advocates for "Green CPEC" as part of CPEC 2.0 and emphasises sustainable development by aligning projects with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and UN guidelines.

Former ambassador Naghmana Hashmi stated that it was difficult to come across an economic or connectivity project anywhere in recent times that evokes so many emotions and debates. In many ways, this was a function of the growing geo-political and geo-strategic tensions among major powers, where BRI and its related projects were also being targeted. Using a Chinese leader’s dictum, she stressed the expression of “seeking truth from facts.” She argued that the book does that by presenting a counter-narrative in support of the BRI and CPEC. The book not only discusses the challenges but also presents solutions in the long-term.

While commenting on the book, Dr Rabia Akhtar noted that it is a call for action to re-imagine our future under CPEC beyond the economic statistics and focus on how to reconcile development with sustainability so that both can go hand-in-hand. CPEC must not be only a corridor of commerce but a corridor of consciousness and a keystone for forging a green alliance.