China: friend or foe.

Byline: Aly Rashid

The rhetoric of China-Pakistan friendship is endless, but more so in Pakistan. In 2013, 90% of Pakistanis said China is our friend. So Pakistan is the world's most pro-China country. It is almost a custom to paint newspapers with Chinese red and Pakistani green flags like two hands shaking. The more TV plays, 'Pak Cheen Dosti Zindabad', (long live Pak-China friendship), the more Chines companies penetrate Pakistan, from Gwadar to Gilgit and from Karachi to Kashmir. But have we ever tried to dissect the Pakistan-China friendship? I believe this has become taboo. Let's examine the Pak-China friendship.

Pakistan has faced so many challenges since its creation in 1947. Even after 72 years, we are still struggling with crises of one sort or another. These challenges can be categorised into three groups: natural disasters, Wars/Conflicts, and Poverty/Crime. In terms of natural disasters, although the Chinese economy is one of the world's largest, capable of providing relief after every natural disaster, but it has provided minimum or symbolic aid abroad. In 2005's devastating earthquake, countries like Cuba and Vietnam came to rescue the victims. They later offered medical scholarships to the people of affected areas. Where was our all-time friend China?

When we analyse wars and conflicts, we see that 1948's fight led to the 1965's and the 1965's war led to that of 1971, when Pakistan lost East Pakistan. Where was friendly China? If Pak-China friendship was real and on the ground, not only in Pakistani heads, China would have considered that, but she did not. And most importantly, what are China's efforts toward resolving the Kashmir dispute? Suggesting Pakistan should annex Gilgit-Baltistan for investments or selling guns and missiles?

Similar is the angle of poverty. How many Chinese NGOs are there working to end poverty and poverty-related problems in Pakistan? Has China offered anything to Pakistan to combat terrorism other than arms and weapons? Those who are providing free education and the secularisation of Pakistani society are not Chinese.

China has not only pressured Pakistan to give legal status to Gilgit-Baltistan; it has sparked a new anti-Punjab fire in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). If Chinese investment can divide Kashmir or one part of Gilgit-Baltistan from its other regions, it can also divide Pakistan. Sindh and Baluchistan already have separatists, but KP will be a more significant challenge for the federal...