Our right to development, CPEC and Pakistan – II

By Dr Shabir Choudhry      

CPEC blessing or curse for Gilgit Baltistan

Pakistan government has planned to establish more than 29 special economic zones, and many projects. The local people have clear resentment against the rule of Islamabad; and their system of exploitation oppression. A non political forum called Awami Action Committee also expressed serious concerns about the CPEC as there was nothing there for the people of Gilgit Baltistan. While addressing a rally in Gilgit, Sultan Rais, Chairman of the Awami Action Committee said, ‘The CPEC will pass through 600 kilometres area of Gilgit-Baltistan but it is unfortunate that they are not getting even a single industrial zone or any development project.

CPEC and Balochistan

Gwadar is now presented as life line to Pakistan, but not many people know that Gwadar was not part of Pakistan until 8 December 1958. Legally this territory was part of the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman; and Pakistani Prime Minister Feroz Khan Noon bought it for 3 million dollars.

Situation in Balochistan compared to Gilgit Baltistan is much worse. Many years before the inauguration of the CPEC, there was an armed struggle going on against Islamabad. It is not coincidence that current militancy or ‘freedom struggle', as the Baloch rebels call it is the fifth one since 1947. In other words this is the fifth time the Centre has attacked Balochistan and people have taken arms against them.

The Pakistani media is India centric, they specialise in highlighting events that put India in bad light; but they ignore what goes on in Balochistan and in Gilgit Baltistan. Activists of Balochistan Republican Party rejected China's interference in Balochistan and said Islamabad wants to build the CPEC ‘on the dead bodies of Baloch people with Beijing's help….The activists say that CPEC was causing damage to the environment and would not benefit the people of the region instead Balochistan's abundant resources were being diverted for the benefit of Pakistan's most populous province Punjab'. 8

The BRP activists further said: “We have seen that Pakistani media greatly aired news about the death of Burhan Wani (Hizbul Mujahideen militant). Similarly, we want the Indian media to take Balochistan issue and expose the atrocities done by the Pakistan Army on the people of Balochistan before the world….The activist highlighted that those who have raised their voice on the Balochistan issue were crushed by the army. So far, thousands of party activists have been killed by the Pakistani intelligence agencies'. 9

Conclusion

Despite the rangers operation in Karachi, we all know there is no peace and stability there, but the situation of interior Sindh is not much known. There are groups and parties who have strong reservations against the CPEC in Sindh and KPK.

With a caption of, ‘Sindh says big NO to Anti-Sindh CPEC & State Torture', JSMM issued a statement on 20 February 2017, which strongly condemned:

‘A brutal crackdown on the secular Sindhi nationalist activists related to Sindhudesh Movement. Tens of Hundreds of the houses were raided, women and children were beaten….Activists and their relatives were abducted detained and tortured.'

JSMM called for a strike against the CPEC, but the authorities were ruthless and threatened trade unions, transporters and shop keepers to keep away from it or face the worst consequences. Despite the threats people observed a peaceful strike by closing down shops.

In a statement issued to press JSMM Chairman Shari Muhammad Burfat ‘thanked the Sindhi nation for their response to the call of the strike against CPEC despite all the brutal crackdown, brutalities and harassment tactics'.

He further said, “the Sindhi nation has unanimously rejected CPEC and slavery of Punjab, it has stood firm & courageous against the monstrous Pakistani forces, their harassment tactics, abductions, torture, flag marches, propaganda in these moments of fear, danger & evil, being weaker and empty handed it has defeated enemy's wishes and has stated its will of defiance & civil disobedience with courage and bravery. Sindhis as a nation have proved that Nations could never be defeated by use of force & torture until they don't submit their will. I have seen anger & will of Sindhi nation for their freedom in their eyes today, and this has given me hope, that we will surely defeat enemies of Sindhi nation and snatch our freedom.”
He appealed to ‘International community, United Nations, USA, EU, Germany, England, France, Russia, India, Israel and all the civilized nations of the world to take serious notice of Sindh's rejection to CPEC that it demonstrated against CPEC, which he sees as Chinese military-strategic aggression over the Indian Ocean and existential threat to the historic secular natural Sindhi, Baloch, Pashtun, Gilgit-Baltistan, Uyghur nations & genocidal plan which will totally cleanse these nations from the globe of the Earth'.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 13. 1 says:

‘Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state'; and article 19 says:

‘Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers'.

You can call me selfish, irrational, anti Pakistan, anti Ummah or anti whatever, fundamental rights of citizens of Jammu and Kashmir State will always be my top priority; and everything else is secondary. If as a result of the CPEC of or issues related to the CPEC – for example, in pursuit of China's grand economic, strategic and military objectives our fundamental rights are curbed, as far as I am concerned the CPEC can go to hell.

If the CPEC is designed to make my occupiers stronger, more aggressive, more oppressive, more domineering, more despotic, more unaccountable, more intimidating, more unapproachable, more unjust then why on earth I should support the CPEC; and make myself more vulnerable and endanger our future and future of our generations.

However, on the other, if the CPEC is pro people, pro peace and stability; and promotes our fundamental rights, including a right to development, a right to assemble, a right to hold an opinion and express it, then I cannot see any reason to oppose it.

Writer is a political analyst, TV anchor and author of many books and booklets. Also he is Chairman South Asia Watch and Director Institute of Kashmir Affairs. Email:drshabirchoudhry@gmail.com