‘Hambantota’ in Gwadar, the dominance of the Chinese army … understand the great danger to India from Pakistan’s financial crisis

China is running the CPEC project worth billions of dollars with Pakistan and talking about defense relations, the two countries are jointly making JF-17 fighter aircraft. Uzair Yonus, director of the Pakistan Initiative of the Atlantic Council, a Washington DC-based think tank in the US, says that the current economic, security and political crisis is going to have a serious impact on the strategic relationship. The effect of this crisis for the time being will be that the CPEC project will stop and Pakistan will become badly dependent on China. This will greatly increase China’s influence in Pakistan for a long time.

‘Pakistan will depend on China’s weapons’

Uzair says that at present China’s share in Pakistan’s total foreign debt is more than 30 percent. If Pakistan is not able to return the loan, then China can increase its demand in the economic and security sector. Pakistan is hostile to India and can increase the purchase of state-of-the-art weapons from China to match. This will increase its dependence on China even more. He says that the way the relationship between America and India is getting stronger, Pakistan’s dependence on China will increase a lot in the coming years.

The expert of the Atlantic Council said that China can sell weapons to Pakistan by giving financial help. These would be such weapons that both the countries would be able to use at the time of need. China is building a port in Gwadar, which is being opposed by the local people. China is stealing fish from here, which has put the livelihood of the local people at risk. There have been several deadly attacks against Chinese citizens in Balochistan. With this, China can now put more pressure on Pakistan for the deployment of its troops. These Chinese soldiers can be deployed in the security of Chinese citizens and projects. Pakistan can give a lot of concession to China to get bailout package.

Like Hambantota, China’s occupation in Pakistan too

Uzair says that China had taken Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port in lieu of loan to enhance its geopolitical strategy in the Indian Ocean. China has made a similar deal with Tajikistan as well. Recently, a Chinese spy ship had arrived at Hambantota port, which was strongly opposed by India. He says that China can also demand such a concession from Pakistan. Till now China had made many such demands from Pakistan which were rejected by Islamabad but now it will be difficult for Islamabad after being burdened with debt. Through this, China can now increase its influence in the Arabian Sea and Himalayas close to India.