Ex-Pakistan official blames China, CPEC for economic crisis

Former Pakistan Federal Board of Revenue chairman Shabbar Zaidi has blamed China and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) for the country's economic troubles, calling the project a failure. Launched in 2015, CPEC was touted as a game-changer but has delivered limited gains, with only 38 of 90 projects completed. Pakistan's central government debt hit a record $290 billion in June, amid political instability and growing criticism of the ruling party.