President Xi Jinping of China in a congratulatory message to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stressed that “China and Pakistan should continue their traditional friendship, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in all fields, jointly build an upgraded version of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), continue to deepen the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era to bring more benefits for the people of the two countries”.

Embedded in this customary message of greeting is the undeniable message of the President to get moving with the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and jointly build up an upgraded version of the CPEC and a close-knitted China-Pakistan community. The upgraded version is not defined but could well mean something novel over the prevailing model of the CPEC and more in favour of the people of the two countries.

Ahsan Iqbal, the federal planning minister for planning and development, took no time to respond and is reported to have stated: “Our coalition government has restored the confidence of China in the CPEC. We are ready to start five new corridors with China under the project. We will implement China’s offer with full determination.” The statement has not defined these five new corridors.

In the same breath, he stated that the Chinese investment of $25 billion was made possible in the first phase. “There is very little room in Pakistan’s economic situation. Our budget is running entirely on loans,” the minister said. He further remarked that over Rs7.5 trillion was needed to repay loans, adding that running expenses, salaries, pensions, and subsidies were in addition to this. “All these expenses are being met by taking more loans,” he said. Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had made an identical point.

While there appears to be an enthusiasm at both ends to move on with the CPEC with a new vigour and vision, the realities on ground do not promise to turn this vision into a reality anytime in the near future. CPEC, so........

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