The stakeholder apprehensions and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the Media in Pakistan

1. China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
and
Media in Pakistan
May 4, 2017
Amir Jahangir
Chief Executive Officer
Mishal Pakistan
aj@mishal.com.pk

2. One Belt One Road Initiative
• It is a plan to revive and better the spirit of the
old silk road and a step towards making Asian
Phoenix a reality
• OBOR has a string of projects connecting the
Baltic Sea with the Pacific Ocean via roads, rails
and sea lanes for free trade
• Approximate costs that will incur is $21.1 trillion
which are forecasted to benefit 65 economies
constituting more than 80 per cent of the world’s
population

3. Six economic corridors of
‘One Belt One Road Initiative’

4. APPREHENSIONS OF STAKEHOLDERS
• Human Rights
• Climate change
• Chinese supremacy
• Discrimination
• Chinese supremacy
• Chinese meddling in
political affairs
• Foreign takeover
• Abolishment of local
vendors and
businesses
• Manufacturing sector
to be affected
• Routes disagreement
• Slow work progress
in remaining
provinces except
Punjab
• Redefining of
Constitution with
regards to new laws
Provincial
Governm
ent
Business
Community
Civil SocietyCitizens

5. APPREHENSIONS OF
NEIGHBORS
CHINA
• Chinese insecurity about their loans
• Political instability in Pakistan
• Law & Order
• International Conflict
• Maritime Conflict
INDIA
• Route Dispute with regards to Gilgit
Baltistan
• Martime route conflict
• Increase of Chinese footprint in the region
• Kashmir issue with regards to Gilgit
Baltistatan
AFGHANISTAN
• National & International Security
• International Community reservations
• Human Rights
• Law & Order situation
IRAN
• Law & Order situation in Pakistan
• International Community
• Maritime Conflict with regards to
Chabahar

6. Media challenges on CPEC
• The current media landscape is developed around
western values i.e. human rights, climate change etc.
• Lack of appreciation for development journalism
• Highly politicized media landscape
• Poor economic/business journalism

7. Way Forward
• CPEC needs to be developed as a separate independent
journalism beat in the country
• Train journalists across the various verticals of development
on the project timelines
• Use media to bridge the information and knowledge gap
between the citizens and other CPEC stakeholders
• Encourage media partnerships and knowledge
development initiative between the Chinese and Pakistani
media entities