CPEC Projects Heighten Strategic Stakes as Local Unrest Grows in POK

Pakistan‑occupied Kashmir sits at a crossroads of strategic infrastructure, notably the China‑Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The region’s inclusion in CPEC has attracted significant Chinese investment, especially in hydro‑power projects that tap the Zhelem River. While these projects promise economic growth and energy security for Islamabad, they also intensify local resentment. Residents argue that the benefits of such large‑scale ventures bypass their communities, leaving them to bear the cost of security measures and restricted freedoms. The mounting unrest in POK therefore adds a new layer of complexity to the geopolitical calculus surrounding CPEC, where economic ambition meets grassroots opposition.