The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an essential component of Beijing and Islamabad’s economic relationship, but the CPEC has faced extensive pressures internally and externally, including strong criticism from the U.S. and India.

India and Pakistan share a deeply intertwined and embattled history. And now that India sees China entering the picture to back Pakistani development, the thought of two neighboring rivals growing closer has put India on notice.

India and China have a long history of border disputes, which have heated up recently. Stacked interests between China, India, and Pakistan hold the region on a seesaw, and BRI and CPEC may benefit from the conflict and pandemic.

Many Pakistanis are concerned about how much of the country’s current widening account deficit is a consequence of China’s landmark Belt & Road Initiative.

The Baloch insurgency in Pakistan is now targeting Chinese-investments. The Pakistani government alleges that India wants to sabotage its relationship with China by supporting the insurgents.

Newly-appointed Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has two realistic options: to further inflate the country’s Chinese debt, or to look to the International Monetary Fund for a bailout for the 15th time since the 1980s. Both options have serious drawbacks.

Pakistan now has a new government. But will this change Pakistan’s relationship with one of its closest allies - China?

As Pakistan’s new prime minister takes the reins of power, he will be forced to adapt to his country’s shifting relationships with two world powers: China and the United States.

On July 13, the Balochistan province of Pakistan witnessed its worst ever terrorist attack, when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a local election rally in Mastung district. Radical trends among youth in this region not only threaten the stability of Pakistan but also the future of Pakistan’s proclaimed economic savior – the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Rather than helping Pakistan’s economy, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is creating a debt trap for Pakistan which will result in Pakistan’s continued economic dependence on China.