Scripted allegations

With time, Pakistan, under the leadership of Imran Khan, who will be completing three years as the Prime Minister this month, is increasingly getting obsessed with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. Perhaps coincidentally, ever since the Quad grouping has gained momentum, CPEC has featured more prominently in the Pakistani and Chinese media than before — both in print and electronic. Besides, it's invariably on the agenda of talks between China and Pakistan. To recapitulate, in the recently held talks between Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, other subjects of bilateral interest got eclipsed as the CPEC remained the dominant point for discussions.

A reasonably leading Pakistani daily newspaper has lately blamed India for trying to derail the CPEC issue by embarking upon what it described as a slanderous or malicious propaganda tirade for its efforts in this direction. In a tenor, lacking grace and media ethics, the said newspaper dared Indian External Affairs Minister's statement that CPEC and the Belt Road Initiative (BRI) were encroaching on India's sovereignty. It further alleges that India would never want a strong and developed Pakistan, hence, it is making all this acrimonious publicity to wean China away from Pakistan. Independent and neutral observers find it difficult to fathom how India comes into the picture between China and Pakistan entering into some semblance of mutual cooperation, be it through the CPEC or via mutual understandings.

Meanwhile, joining the media campaign to vilify India, the Pakistan Foreign Office in a very recent statement debunked the Indian assertions against the CPEC. Such statements, however, are more routine and people, in general, are finding it hard to accept such hollowed claims. It's becoming more like a 'crying wolf' lacking any credibility whatsoever.

In a related development which is seen as significant, Khalid Mansoor has been appointed (August 3) as the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan (SAPM) to head the affairs of the high-powered CPEC, which has gained more currency in the recent past than the measures to address the menace of the COVID pandemic afflicting Pakistan or the fallout of the Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan. It is imperative here to mention that fresh reports indicate that Pakistan-sponsored terror outfits including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) have lent their trained armed cadres who are seen fighting alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan, targeting government security forces. Sadly, Pakistan is turning a Nelsonian eye to this unholy nexus and most belligerent collaboration between the two evil terror partners. Unfortunately, this development is finding less importance or attention than the CPEC. This further confirms the glaring list of priorities accorded by Pakistan vis a vis China.

It also shows how much pressure Pakistan is buckling under China, from the CPEC structure to its day-to-day functioning. Some are describing it as if Pakistan is acting as a vassal state of China. Khalid Mansoor has a long and illustrious career behind him. He has handled several energy and power companies including Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) and Algeria Oman Fertiliser Company in top positions. It also means that Imran Khan, ostensibly at the behest of China, is trying to give a facelift to CPEC to signal that the project is on course and without any irritants. Khalid Mansoor's predecessor was retired Lt General of the Pakistan Army, Saleem Bajwa who had been pleading for long to be relieved of his responsibilities in the sensitive charge as chief of the CPEC.

Reverting to the earlier mention made on alleged Indian interference into the CPEC partnership between China and Pakistan, a section of the media is continuing with its campaign of manufacturing anti-India stories by alleging that there are more than 500 NGOs and fake media sites and outlets working around the clock to impair the CPEC roadmap to provide a dent in the Sino-Pak ties. Such manifestations, experts believe, are part of a blueprint unleashed by systematic psychological warfare suspected to be scripted by the Pak Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) which has also begun blaming the Indian agencies to foment trouble and violent disturbances in Baluchistan and other areas affected by the CPEC project. Harping the same old tune by Pakistan is unlikely to yield any results as Quad looks set to strategically take on China, causing knee jerk reactions in Pakistani military, political and media circles.

The writer is a retired IPS officer, a security analyst and a former National Security Advisor to the PM of Mauritius. Views expressed are personal