By: Ashutosh Bhatia
New Delhi: The Chinese PLA is employed for construction of critical defence projects on behalf of Pakistan Army in Balochistan, as well as in Muzaffarabad, under the garb of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), top sources in the security set-up told UNI based on latest emerging evidence.
Sources said that construction of cave-type storage facilities by Chinese soldiers has been reported from Ranikot, Sindh, along Sehwan-Hyderabad highway approximately 50 km southwest of Nawabshah, Sindh and near Khuzdar. This location is reported to be used by Khuzdar Missile Regiment deployed in Balochistan.
As per the evidence, 10 to 12 Chinese PLA workers were seen engaged in construction of underground bunkers at Pakistan Army camp (40 Frontier Force) in Sharda.
Further, 10-15 Chinese engineers and workers were found to be engaged in construction of underground bunkers at Pakistan Army camp at Phullawai, 12 km southeast of Kel.
The Indian security agencies have informed the government regarding renovation of bunkers and other construction work being carried out in the areas around the LoC.
Sources said long delays in the completion of projects and building up arrears of the CPEC that stretches from China’s Xinjiang province to Gwadar in Balochistan turn almost dysfunctional.
High-interest rates on CPEC loans, rising project costs, weak projects and the energy crisis due to the Chinese companies cutting off supplies also resulted in discontent in Pakistan which eventually abolished the CPEC authority.
The CPEC was always destined to become a white elephant project. The economic state of Pakistan was never in a condition to overcome this Chinese debt diplomacy. It was launched with a sole purpose to give China an access to the port of Gwadar and exploitation of natural resources of Pakistan, while mounting huge debts on it, sources claimed.
