Daily Times

Mired in numerous presumptions, the third consecutive political transformation in Pakistan was finally completed on July 25, last month. According to official records, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has emerged as the single largest party in the Parliament and is mostly likely going to run the country for the next five years, with Imran Khan as our new Prime Minister. Soon after the results were announced, there were congratulatory and welcome messages pouring from across the world, for Imran Khan. This trend of national and international support was overwhelming especially after the simple and heart touching speech made by Imran Khan.  Along with the ambitions of making Pakistan a stable and progressive country, there are several challenges that are pertinent to address at the earliest.

These include the trembling economic conditions, poverty, unemployment and above all corruption. However, in his victory speech, Imran Khan reflects that he has realized the importance of China for Pakistan’s problems.  Khan explained his vision of working with the People’s Republic of China and learning from their experience of poverty and corruption eradication.

Like the people of this country, many countries in the world, particularly China, have certain expectations from Khan’s upcoming government, following its multi-billion dollar flagship project. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the crown of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is not only important for making China an economic power, but also to boost Pakistan’s economy at the same time.

Khan’s foreign policy position is that his government will dispatch special teams to China to learn how it brought millions of people out of poverty, boosted its agricultural sector and eliminated the menace of corruption from its institutions. This initial trajectory of the Khan led government indicates that Islamabad and Beijing, both, are willing for wider cooperation. Furthermore, CPEC can provide a golden opportunity to Imran Khan’s government to attract; foreign direct investment (FDR) and generate employment for the youth since Khan has already promised these to the country.

The first massive reform program that the Chinese government introduced was to eliminate landlords and allot land to those who farm it

Imran’s positive approach towards the development of Pakistan has further boosted Beijing’s confidence in the CPEC project which was earlier mired with uncertainty, following PTI’s anti-CPEC approach. The Chinese government, public and media appreciated Khan’s pro-China speech. The Chinese foreign ministry, while responding to Khan’s speech, said CPEC will help Pakistan develop and elevate cooperation between the two countries. Exchange of positive statements will help both the countries develop and elevate long term cooperation. Besides, Pakistan can take help from China in various other areas, particularly agriculture. The latter has made tremendous development in the agriculture sector since its establishment in 1949. It introduced major reforms in the agriculture sector which helped boost its country’s economy.

The first massive reform program that the Chinese government introduced was to eliminate landlords and allot land to those who farm it, Pakistan’s current situation is not much different from China’s previous one. Here, too our agricultural land is the property of landlords and the common public is bound to them. A Khan led government can organize farmers into cooperatives, collectives and people’s communes. Far-reaching agricultural reforms on the Chinese pattern and the introduction of modern agro-technology are some features which demand special attention from the upcoming government.

Corruption is another social evil that Pakistan has been facing since its inception and the PTI has a bold stance against this evil. In this regard Pakistan can take assistance from China’s far-reaching campaign against corruption. It would be a great opportunity for Khan to take benefit from the Xi vision since the Chinese president has made the largest organized anti-craft efforts in the history of China.

President Xi vowed to crackdown against high-level officials and local civil servants alike. Most of the officials were removed from their offices and faced accusations of bribery and abuse of power. The campaign has netted over 120 high-ranking officials, including about a dozen high ranking military officers, several senior executives of state-owned companies and five national leaders. So far, more than 100,000 people have been indicted for corruption. Khan’s past opposition narrates the same story. Elimination of twenty members within his own party for ‘indulging in horse-trading’, during the Senate elections shows his concern towards purging malpractice from the system.

Beijing can be a good support for Khan’s foreign policy transformation in various areas. It can assist the upcoming government to improve the deteriorated economy, eradicate corruption and to put dysfunctional institutions on the road to recovery and boost agriculture and tourism sectors. Thus, Beijing-Islamabad cooperation in the aforementioned areas can become an emblematic feature of Khan’s political brand.

The writer is Director, Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies and Secretary General, Pakistan-Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Friendship Forum

Published in Daily Times, August 8^th 2018.