Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharma Set for China Visit – India’s Unease EXPLAINED – CNBC TV18

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to Visit China Later this month to formally inaugurated the second phase of the China-pakistan economic corridor (CPE Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (Bri).

Pakistan Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal Confirmed That The Visit, Coinciding with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin from august 31 to september CPEC-II, with bot sides expected to outline priorities and deliverables.

Sharif is also Scheduled to Hold Bilateral Meetings with Chinese President XI Jinping and Russian President Vladimir putin on the sidelines of the sco. Officials in islamabad description the new phase as a shift from infrastructure and power projects to Industrial Cooperation, Agriculture Modernization, Technology Partnerships, Technology Partnerships, and expeded Connecty Throgity Gwadar port. Special Economic Zones (Sezs) are at the heart of the plan, designed to attract chinese factors and investment into Pakistan.

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India Angst

For India, the stakes are particularly high. The Corridor Continues to Pass Through Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (Pok), A Territory India Claims as its Own. The expansion of sezs and logistics hubs there, experts caution, effectively legitimies Pakistan’s Occupation and Heightens Sovereignty Concerns. Moreover, Gwadar’s Planned expansion raises fears of dual-use facilites, strengthening China’s presence in the Arabian Sea.

The renewed push on cpec also comes at a delicate geopolitical moment. India and China has been tentative exploring ways to ease border tensions since the 2020 galwan clash, but beijing’s simultaneous deepening of ties with islamabad underscores Balancing outreach to new delhi while reinforcing its “Iron Brother” Alliance with Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Hopes for CPEC-II Center on Easing Its Economic Wows, from Job Creation to Industrial Revival. Yet Past Experience with CPEC-I have left the country with Heavy Debts, Unfullfilled Promies, and Growing Local Discontent, Easpecially in Balochistan. Observers cautions that unless islamabad can secure tangible, inclusive benefits, CPEC-II Risks BECOMING BECEMING Anothar Cycle of Debt, Dependence, and Unrest-With Far-Reaching Consequence for Agency Stability.

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