THE IMPACT OF CPEC ON GRASSROOTS DEVELOPMENT IN PAKISTAN: THE CASE OF TURBAT IN RURAL BALOCHISTAN

The objective of this study was to understand the impact of CPEC on the rural area of Balochistan i.e., Turbat in terms of livings standard, education, and health. for a better understanding, a qualitative method of research was chosen. The significance of this research is unique because it tries to understand the implications of development projects on the lives of the common people living in the vicinity and tries to understand if it has any positive impact on their lives as predicted through many kinds of research done previously on a larger scale. It has focused on the experiences of people who are directly or indirectly affected by it. The participants were chosen through convenience selection with a focus to accommodate people from all walks of life for better reliability and significance. The CPEC project promises alleviation of poverty, and an improved standard of living with better access to education and health, which for long has been desired in the province. And so, in this qualitative research through extensive interviews with the local people of Turbat, I found a concurring result that CPEC has the potential to bring about positive changes in the lives of the people because it has shown promise for the people already. Currently, people of rural Turbat have seen a rise in employability that can change their living standard in the future with better education and health facilities provided now. The future holds significant opportunities for the people of Turbat and by the completion of the project, the surrounding areas are expected to benefit the most