Islamabad: The debt-ridden government of Pakistan has handed over Balochistan to China in a way. This backward area is full of natural resources of gas and many precious metals. China has been exploiting these natural resources indiscriminately, while the entire region remains a poor region with a per capita GDP of only US$1,000. Under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and CPEC project, China is now fiercely looting the natural resources of Pakistan’s largest state.
Chinese companies are making huge profits from here. There is very little employment or economic benefit to the local population of Balochistan. A similar situation is also seen in Myanmar, where China has recently intensified illegal mining in the border areas. A Chinese company running gold, silver, and copper mines in Balochistan has claimed that it made a profit of about US $ 75 million in 2021 despite the halt in work due to Covid-19. A significant portion of this profit is sent back to China.
Those who support running these mines say that this helps in increasing employment along with better education and health facilities. While many local people say that there has been no significant improvement in their lives. The reality on the ground is that Balochistan remains a very poor and neglected province. Balochistan still has the old-fashioned infrastructure. Mud houses, dirty and unpaved roads, lack of potable water, poverty, and backwardness still prevail in Balochistan. Overall, the economic condition of the area is very pathetic. For these reasons, separatist groups are waging a war against the government for an independent Balochistan and to drive the Chinese out of Balochistan.
