China Just Walked Away From a $62B Pakistan Bet

April 2017: Pakistan signed a 40-year lease handing China Overseas Port Holding 91% of Gwadar Port revenue. $62 billion was promised under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. In February 2026, China suspended all ground operations there. What changed: ↳ 254 insurgent attacks across Balochistan in 2025. IEDs up 65%. ↳ Jan 30, 2026: coordinated militant strike across 9 districts. ↳ Feb 2, 2026: China halts ground operations at Gwadar. ↳ May 2026: Chinese firm Hag Geng Trade shuts its Gwadar Free Zone plant. ↳ May 24, 2026: suicide train bombing in Balochistan kills 24+. The numbers: ↳ Only 38 of about 90 CPEC projects complete after 10 years. ↳ Pakistan owes China $29B — 22% of all external debt. ↳ Another $1.5B in unpaid bills to Chinese power producers. The bind: Pakistan can't repay. China can't withdraw — Gwadar is its biggest Belt and Road project. The Baluch Liberation Army demands China close CPEC and leave. The Baluch have the leverage neither government does. Sources: Maritime Executive, The Asset, CSIS, The Diplomat, Lowy Institute, IMF, Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, West Point Combating Terrorism Center, Al Jazeera, Tribune India, Wikipedia "2026 Balochistan attacks". Follow Money Maps for more. #geopolitics #pakistan #china #gwadar #cpec #balochistan #beltandroad #bri #bla #moneymaps