Archive · 20 Nov 2025
Pakistan Economist Calls CPEC's Gwadar Port 'Economically Unfeasible'
A Pakistani economist says the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which was supposed to transform Pakistan's economy, has not brought any significant investment.
He also says Gwadar Port, the heart of the project, remains economically unviable.
The economist believes China's interest in Gwadar is military, not economic.
CPEC's Gwadar Port remains economically unviable, says economist Dr Kaiser Bengali
Little investment materialized under CPEC, with only Lahore's Orange Train as a tangible outcome
Gwadar Port has only its original four berths and received no ships last year
Gwadar's economic hinterland lies more than 1,000 kilometers away, making it unviable as a transit hub
China's interest in Gwadar is military, not economic, according to Bengali
- Who
- Dr Kaiser Bengali, a Pakistani economist
- What
- Criticized the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Gwadar Port's economic viability
- When
- In a recent podcast conversation with journalist Faisal Waheed
- Where
- Pakistan
- Why
- To discuss Pakistan's economy and the impact of CPEC
Economic Perspective
Strategic Perspective
CPEC's Impact
Economic Perspective
Little tangible investment, Gwadar Port economically unviable
Strategic Perspective
Not explicitly addressed
China's Interest in Gwadar
Economic Perspective
Military, not economic
Strategic Perspective
Not explicitly addressed
- Gwadar Port Berths
- Four
- Ships Received by Gwadar Port in 2021
- None
- Distance from Gwadar to Economic Hinterland
- More than 1,000 kilometers
- China's Interest in Gwadar
- Military, not economic