China's efforts to speed up Belt and Road in Pakistan falters

Eager to salvage $62bn Economic Corridor, Beijing hosts provincial leaders

A highway leading to Gwadar, Pakistan. Baloch insurgent groups from Balochistan have been the source of most of the attacks on Chinese interests since inception of CPEC. © Reuters

ADNAN AAMIR, Contributing writer

September 16, 2019 14:19 JST

QUETTA, Pakistan -- China is making overtures to the tribal and political leaders of Balochistan, a province in western Pakistan, in a bid to promote progress on infrastructure projects for its Belt and Road Initiative in the region, which has slowed significantly since a new government took power in Islamabad in August 2018.