Is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Pakistan’s lifeline?

A featured story recently published by Forbes magazine read “Pakistan: The Next Colombia Success Story?”. For many, this story could ring surprise - or shock – bells, but for some, the story also holds truth in certain aspects of the recent developments taking place in Pakistan. The country is currently going through final phases of its major Operation Zarb e Azb against the Taliban in the FATA region, whereas the internally displaced residents of the region have also started heading home. Although the war against terrorists and insurgents is far from over, the signs and outcomes of Zarb e Azb, consequently resulting in lower terror attacks this year, surely present a somewhat positive security picture of the country. In terms of national politics, a healthy competition is also taking place between Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik e Insaf (Justice Movement Party) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and Nawaz Sharif’s Muslim League in the Centre