Page 12 - The Indian EYE 051625

OPINION MAY 16, 2025 | The Indian Eye 12

Pakistan, China and CPEC:

Donkeys to the Service

Amidst such economic slowdown and crisis, Pakistani export of donkey skin has turned into an avenue of

economic growth and cooperation between China and Pakistan despite its downside for animal protection

DR. DHRUBAJYOTI BHATTACHARJEE

he China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC) has been a
Tproject that has brought a de-
gree of infrastructural growth to Paki-
stan. A flagship project of the Chinese
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China
has invested around US$25 billion,
which was proposed to be around
US$100 billion, during the last decade
on infrastructural projects. It included
train and road networks, constructing
new coal and solar power projects,
development of air, sea and dry ports,
especially the Gwadar deep-water
port and an international airport and
developing Special Economic Zones
in Gwadar, to transform it into an in-
ternational economic hub.
Though the first phase was par-
tially completed by 2021, but the Though the first phase was partially completed by 2021, but the second phase, which was supposed to have begun in 2022, remains postponed
second phase, which was supposed
to have begun in 2022, remains post- due to various political, economic and security issues (Agency file photo)
poned due to various political, eco-
nomic and security issues. The paper ity, lack of financial viability of the weekly aircraft from Karachi, which donkey skin or hides. The Ejiao indus-
will try to assess the challenges the projects, followed with short term fis- also have failed to attract domestic or try has boomed recently, exceeding
project has faced domestically, the cal policies has marred the Pakistani international investors or airlines. To $8 billion, according to Beijing-based
steady decline of China Pakistan eco- economy. It has depleted its foreign protect Chinese officials, engineers, business and finance consulting firms.
nomic growth and how the export of exchange reserve, relying more on workers and the project sites from lo- In the last few years, Africa has
animal skin, especially donkey skin, international loans from the Inter- cal fury and violence, China had made been the major exporter of donkey
being resorted to as a new avenue of national Monetary Fund (IMF) and attempts to deploy its own security skin to China, while Pakistan had
economic cooperation between Paki- other partner countries than adapting forces, which has been contested by been exporting donkey skin to China
stan and China. trade policies that would lead to en- Pakistan. through informal trade routes. How-
hance their export base. Amidst such economic slowdown ever, in February 2024, the African
CPEC: CHALLENGES AND Political and social unrest, cou- and crisis, Pakistani export of donkey Union banned the export of donkey
ROADBLOCKS pled with friction between the provin- skin has turned into an avenue of eco- hide to China. The exports had led
cial and federal administration, severe nomic growth and cooperation be- to severe strain on the existing don-
PEC, from its initial years, bureaucratic corruption and lack of tween China and Pakistan despite its key population, which was negatively
have encountered challenges political will also have added more downside for animal protection. impacting on the rural households as
Crelated to project and person- hurdles in the completion of these donkeys continue to play an import-
nel security, economic sustainability, projects. Project finances has been THE DONKEY ant role in rural transportation, agri-
and federal and provincial political siphoned off by selective federal and SLAUGHTERHOUSE IN GWADAR culture as well as in rural household
instability. Security concerns, partic- provincial leaders along with gener- – NEW AVENUES OF upkeep.
ularly in Balochistan and Pakistan-oc- als from the Pakistan Army who were COOPERATION Pakistan started exporting don-
cupied Kashmir, continue to hinder involved in the project. Especially in key hide to China in 2014 and 2015
project progress as Chinese officials the province of Balochistan, there is a hina has been home to and a when CPEC was established. During
and workers have been targeted, in- severe lack of basic necessities like sta- popular destination for ancient that period, around 200,000 donkey
jured and killed by radical groups, ble access to water, electricity, health Cand traditional medicine. It skins were sold to China. However,
who considered these projects to be and other facilities. The Gwadar sea- also has a large domestic market for a ban on exporting donkey hide was
exploitative, draining out the resourc- port, even after continued attempts of exotic meat. Ejiao, a gelatine, is a tra- imposed in September 2015 by the
es of the provinces, bringing minimal rejuvenation, handling less than 1% of ditional Chinese medicine used for Economic Co-ordination Council
or no benefit to the local populace. Pakistan’s seaborne trade. The Gwa- enhancing beauty and strengthening (ECC), amidst fears that donkey meat
Financing and debt sustainabil- dar International airport receives one virility, which is primarily made out of Continued on next page... >>

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