SARGODHA - The Pakistan Institute of China Studies (PICS), University of Sargodha (UoS), has started “scholars lecture series”. The first lecture of the series was on “China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Balochistan” to discuss how CPEC will bring economic prosperity to Balochistan.

Safdar Hussain Sial, a renowned research scholar and Co-Director of Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) delivered first lecture of the series.

UoS Vice Chancellor Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed, Director PICS Dr Fazlur Rehman, In-charge School of Politics and International Relations Dr Azam, students of Politics, IR, History, and Pakistan Studies, and a number of faculty members attended the lecture. Before the lecture, Director PICS introduced future plans of the institute and gave a detailed run-down of Pak-China friendship.

He encouraged students to learn more about China’s culture and policies, adding that the PICS would play its due role in enhancing knowledge of the students. Director PICS further enlightened the students about the importance of China in contemporary global system.

Safdar Hussain deemed the CPEC as flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). He said that Balochistan was the province that held a pivotal place in the successful implementation of CPEC due to Gwadar Port and its geo-strategic location. He pointed out that China saw in CPEC and Gwadar an opportunity to uplift socioeconomic conditions in Balochistan and China’s western regions.

Hussain informed the audience that the province had four main strategic advantages in CPEC-led connectivity project: its 43 percent unused land of Pakistan, abundance of mineral resources, Gwadar Port, and over 750km long coastline.

He emphasised the need for considering Baloch people in development policies and employment, and said that the CPEC could address their grievances. This would help refrain the Baloch people from outright rejection of the CPEC and Chinese engagement in the province. “The federal government should ensure the development of human resources and the production of skilled labour in the province to be employed in the CPEC related projects.”

Reviewing the Pak-China relations and CPEC, Dr Fazalur Rehman stated that the project was a historic initiative that would help Pakistan to attract investors to invest along the corridor, which would create jobs and business opportunities for the locals. At the end, an interactive question and answer session was held in which students asked many questions related to CPEC, its advantages, and implications for Balochistan.