Pak inducts China into Baloochistan to counter India February 01, 2013 15:55 IST
http://www.rediff.com/news/column/pak-inducts-china-into-balochistan-to-counter-india/20130201.htm
The Pakistani authorities are hoping that the Chinese agreement for The Pakist to take over the operation of the Gwadar port could act as a deterrent to India [Images ] whom they suspect of helping the Baloch freedom-fighters, notes B Raman.
Despite
its continuing concerns over the freedom struggle of the Balochs which
shows no signs of letting up, China, which originally constructed the
languishing commercial port of Gwadar on the Mekran Coast of
Balochistan, is reported to have agreed in principle to take over the
responsibility for the operation of the port.
The
40-year-old contract awarded by the Pakistan government in 2007 to
Singapore’s PSA international for the operation of the port has been a
non-starter due to disputes between the Pakistan Navy and the PSA
International over the free transfer of land to the PSA international
for the construction of warehouses for containers and other
infrastructure facilities. The failure of the Pakistani authorities to
improve the road and rail connectivity of the port as promised in the
contract has also been a factor.
The Pakistan government agreed to the request of the PSA International to withdraw from the contract. Islamabad [ Images ]
has now approved in principle the signing of a contract with the
Chinese Overseas Port Holdings giving it the responsibility for
operating the port.
The
problems created over the transfer of land for the PSA International
indicated a lack of enthusiasm in the Pakistan Navy for the operation of
the port by a Singapore company and its preference for handing it over
to the Chinese company.
In
the eyes of the Pakistan Navy, the Chinese taking over the
responsibility for the operation of the port will have two advantages:
firstly, the Chinese, with their reputation for the timely construction
of projects, will be able to get the languishing operations revived
quickly; and secondly, it could prove to be the
first step towards
China agreeing to a Pakistani request for upgrading the port into a
naval base, available for joint use by the Pakistani and Chinese navies.
Taking
over the responsibility for the operation of the port, will have
strategic advantages for China. It can bring oil and gas from Saudi
Arabia and Iran to Gwadar and have them transported to Xinjiang through
pipelines.
Secondly, it will provide a port of call for ships of China’s Indian Ocean fleet for refitting and other purposes. At present Beijing [ Images ]
has not shown any open
interest in helping Pakistan by upgrading the existing Chinese-aided
commercial port into a naval base for joint use by the two navies.
The
Chinese took nearly two years to make up their mind as to whether they
should get involved in the operation of the port due to the
deteriorating security situation in Balochistan because of the on-going
freedom struggle of the Balochs.
The
Balochs are opposed to a Chinese presence in Gwadar because they look
upon the area as their traditional homeland over which the Pakistan
government has no right to negotiate with any foreign power.
Moreover, the Balochs fear that the Chinese taking over the responsibility for the operation of the port would result in an
induction of a large number of Punjabis into the Gwadar area to work.
The
Pakistani authorities are hoping that the Chinese agreement to take
over the operation of the port could act as a deterrent to India whom
they suspect of helping the Baloch freedom-fighters.
Beijing’s
agreement in principle to take over the operations of the port speaks
of its confidence that they could meet any security threats from the
Baloch freedom-fighters. Whether their confidence will be sustained or
belied has to be seen. The Pakistan army [ Images ] will not be able to
assure the security of the Chinese working in Gwadar.
Unless
the PLA decides to post its own security contingents in Gwadar as it
has done for the security of its nationals working on the upgradation of
the Karakoram highway in Gilgit-Baltistan, security for the Chinese in
Gwadar will be uncertain.
What
the Pakistan government announced on January 30, is an agreement in
principle for the Chinese company to take over the responsibility from
the Singapore company. The details of the final agreement are still to
be worked out.
There
is a case regarding the security situation in Balochistan presently
pending before the Pakistan supreme court. The Gwadar project is also
linked up in the case. The supreme court has
to agree to the Gwadar agreement with China being treated as a stand
alone issue before the final agreement with China is signed. This should
not pose any difficulty.
Image: A ship is seen anchored at Pakistan's Gwadar deep-sea port.
Photograph: Reuters
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