Abstract

The research study was conducted to find out the emergence of CPEC in Daily Urdu Express newspaper and Daily Urdu Jang newspaper, factors of overall positive and negative emergence of CPEC. Quantitative method was used, and the content analysis was applied to the sample of two leading dailies Urdu newspapers of Pakistan; Express and Jang. Sample of entire year of 2016 was taken for this account. The results indicated that 88.9% of the total news about CPEC published in “Daily express” were positive and 11.1% negative whereas 91.4% of the total news about CPEC published in “Daily Jang” were positive and 8.6% were negative. Overall, 14 factors were found under positive portrayal of leading 4 factors security, peace, Pak-China relations and infrastructure. The leading factor in negative portrayal was political Party Politics among the 14 defined news factors. Conclusively, CPEC was portrayed positively.

Key Words

CPEC, Daily Urdu Express, Daily Urdu Jang, Newspaper, Portrayal

Introduction

The new economic dimensions between neighboring countries are increasing with the passage of time. The economy has become a power to maintain and sustain any state. To include more and more countries under one economic umbrella, the developed countries are expanding their influence through economic contributions. Meanwhile, the economic expansion is assumed helpful for the economic progress of developing countries. It has been observed that economic expansions in the form of soft loans or investments have resulted in alliances.         

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the network through which the regions will come into connection with each other. It will have positive effects on Iran, India, Afghanistan, Central Asian Republic and the region at the whole beside China and Pakistan. The CPEC is a kind of regional integration between the countries to raise the connectivity, macroeconomic status and peace through common institutions and rules having its centre at Pakistan (Shoukat M. A., Ahmad, K., & Abdullah M., 2016). The interconnectivity in the geographical linkages will enhance through various transportation ways including a large network of roads, port, rails and air besides the data communication. The CPEC is based upon the highway and railway links passing through almost all Pakistan which starts from Gwadar in Balochistan making its way through Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan, Khunjrab Pass and ends in Kashgar, China (Mahmood M., 2016). This will increase the people to people contacts and develop the understanding of each other through academic, cultural, business and trade flow. As a whole it is a gateway to the harmony and development of the region. The CPEC will bring trade integration between Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia and West Asia (Ali, 2015).

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is significant for the development of the entire region and the partner countries in it. It will increase the regional connectivity through the development of the transport infrastructure, logistics, energy, commerce and trade, development and the peace of the region besides the inter-connectivity of the people. It is suitable for various investment opportunities, tourism, and industrial and financial cooperation. The agricultural, educational and health related cooperation is increasing due to CPEC. CPEC has positive effects on the stability and the security of the region as a whole. Pakistan and China carry the vision of developing the security, political and economic environment for the entire region to develop the sustainability and envisioned growth in business relationships (Kazmi, A. A. 2015).

Pakistan plays a vital role in the world politics due to being its important geostrategic position on the globe. Pakistan develops the link between energy rich and energy poor countries. It is surrounded by the countries enriched with the natural resources and countries becoming the emerging economies of world (Mahmood, M., 2016). Pakistan being the geographically dynamic is the central actor in the CPEC to provide the trade route to China till the deep warm waters and its trade transition to the entire world (Fels, E., 2016). It is an important partnership between China and Pakistan where from trade between Pakistan and the rest of the world will increase. Due to being a facilitation point for business, trade and economics through Gwadar port; Pakistan comes in connection to more than 36 countries in the world. 

Gwadar port is located at the deep sea in Balochistan, a province of Pakistan. The large cargo ships can easily reach the port due to its being in the deep water. It is a port with warm water in the Arabian Sea which can be used entire year. This port is a tremendous facility for developed and developing neighboring countries besides the far located developed nations to boost up their economics. The CPEC facilitates China into the Persian Gulf. 

China has developed the major trade ship with Pakistan. The donkey trails on the Silk Route are evident that reveals the historical ties of trade ship between Pakistan and China in the historical past. The bilateral long-term trade and commercial agreement was signed by China and Pakistan in 1963 and Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in 2006 (Sial, S., 2014). The Pak-China Friendship Tunnel is also located on the same route which is built by drilling through the mighty mountains to prove the importance of the economic relations between Pakistan and China. One of the highest border crossings is between China and Pakistan which is known as the Khunjerab Pass located in the white peaks of Karakorum Mountains. This border crossing is located at the height of 15000 feet above the sea level. This corridor will join the Karakorum Highway moving through the Khunjerab Pass. A huge number of cargo transport travels through this corridor between China and Pakistan. The cargo transport passes through the central Pakistan on the wide network of roads and ends on the Gwadar port located in Balochistan. 

Impact of CPEC on Development of Pakistan

The CPEC is a suitable solution to meet the energy deficit in Pakistan besides its commercial, economic, geopolitical and social benefits (Shaikh, F., Ji, Q., & Fan, Y., 2016). The economic instability of Pakistan will be removed through business interaction with the neighboring countries through the port of Gwadar. The CPEC is bringing the developed infrastructure to Pakistan with construction of roads, railway tracks, energy pipelines and Gwadar international airport (Butt, K. M., & Butt, A. A., 2015). This will open more job opportunities for jobless people.  The $11 billion will be spent on the development of corridor infrastructure out of the sum of $46 billion investment by China besides providing loans to Pakistan at lowest possible interest rates so that Pakistan could not ask from any other institutions in the world for loans at highest interest rates (Butt, K. M., & Butt, A. A., 2015). The CPEC is not only beneficial for both of the countries in business and trade but also fruitful from the regional security and defense point of view as CPEC is developing the regional security cooperation between China and Pakistan besides increase in the naval partnership which is beneficial for both of the countries. CPEC has positive and evident effects on social development of Pakistan. The social welfare growth in the education sector 3.85, health and housing sector 4.74 and 8.6 percent simultaneously which is high level growth in terms of living standards (Haq, R., & Farooq, N., 2016).

CPEC has been one of the hot topics of the day for the media. Media in all over the world including Pakistan has been noticed debating and discussing certain aspects of CPEC. The everyday coverage and every step of the development has been brought to public through certain media outlets. Most of the media outlets placed the news regarding this economic corridor on their priority and placed the news at the front page or within the leading news bulletins in the electronic media. 

The daily Urdu Express newspaper is one of the most circulated and most read newspapers of Pakistan. It was founded on 03 September 1998. It is being published by the Century Publications which is subsidiary of Lakson Group. 

The daily Jang Urdu newspaper is being published by Jang group of newspapers. The Jang group of newspapers is subsidiary of Independent Media Corporation. The Jang group has the headquarters at Karachi. Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman is current head, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of the Jang group of newspapers (Newsweek, 2014). The most widely read Daily Urdu Jang newspaper is one of its other publications (Dawn, 2012).

Literature Review

Hameed H. and Hamid, A.M. (2016) analyzed handling of the news about CPEC in English print media of Pakistan. They applied the content analysis methodology by qualitatively analyzing the editorials, front page news, and opinion page of the newspaper. The initiative of the news and opinions were seen positive with criticism in the latter part (Hameed, 2016). Khan  et al. (2016) did the discourse analysis to evaluate the criticism about CPEC in the Indian print media. They discussed how India did not like and critically debated the CPEC in the media. They revealed that Indian print media had shaped the opinion of their people through dominating media frames and kept on presenting an organized stereotype projection of CPEC (Khan, Farooq, & Gul, 2016). Thomas and Stoopman, W. (2015) aimed to confirm that CPEC may only become successful if China and Pakistan meet their promises. They suggested enhanced connection of cultural and people to people exchanges, heritage projects at solid foundations, and mutual understanding (Stoopman, J. T., et. al., 2015).  Abid, M. and Ashfaq, A. (2015) analyzed the benefits and challenges associated with implementation of CPEC. They found that by implementing CPEC, Pakistan would overcome energy crisis, and poverty. The economic and infrastructure development, balanced environment in South Asia, and peace and prosperity in the provinces will be the result of implementing CPEC (Abid, M., & Ashfaq, A., 2015). Arshad, M. U. and Dong, Z. H. (2016) studied the security issues to Chinese and other international investors of CPEC in Pakistan. They suggested the high degree of mutual interest between China and Pakistan and the active support by the people of both countries would lead this project to the height of success (Dong, M. U. A. Z. H., 2016). Rafi, A. Khan, F. and Aslam, S. (2016) did the study to understand the obstacles in the way to CPEC and gave the recommendations for betterment and smooth implementation on CPEC. They recommended the security of Gwadar port at top priority, China to counter the Modi’s propaganda against CPEC, securing Balochistan from external and internal perils, all political parties of Pakistan should show the gesture of maturity on CPEC project and energy projects must be completed as earlier as possible (Aslam, S., 2016).




Objectives of Study

1. To find out the ratio of positive and negative portrayal of CPEC in Daily Urdu Express newspaper and Daily Urdu Jang newspaper

2. To find out the factors and their representation of overall positive portrayal of CPEC

3. To find out the factors and their representation of overall negative portrayal of CPEC

Research Questions

1. What is the ratio of positive and negative portrayal of CPEC in Daily Urdu Express newspaper and Daily Urdu Jang newspaper?

2. What are the factors of overall positive portrayal of CPEC?

3. What are the factors of overall negative portrayal of CPEC?

Theoretical Framework

The media has power to set the agenda of public by focusing on one or more issues that they consider important. The people not merely learn about news in the media, but they develop their graph of importance of different issues through the emphasis given by the news media to those issues. The agenda setting theory was applied to this research. This theory was introduced by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw (1972). The agenda setting function of the media by portraying any news in positive or negative way may lead to change the already held opinions about anything in the mind of people and also develop the opinions about that. Here in this research, the researchers monitored the positive and negative news portrayal about the CPEC in the Pakistan’s leading daily Urdu newspapers by applying Agenda setting theory.

Methodology

The data regarding the CPEC news of the entire year 2016 starting from 1st January till 31 December 2016 were gathered through the rigorous process of data collection by viewing each newspaper by the researchers. The front- and back-page news clippings regarding the CPEC were gathered. The data has been gathered from analyzing the headlines and the sub-headlines of the required news of both the newspapers. This study is based on the content analysis method of the research.

Most of the people are being seen on the stalls of newspapers and road corners reading the newspapers. The keen observation founded that they took interest in the front and back pages of the newspapers so that, they think these pages most important. At the same time, the editors of the newspapers pick the most important news for the front page and remaining are published on the back page. It makes the front and back pages of the newspapers more important.

This study is based upon the content analysis. It is founded on the more suitable method of research to monitor and evaluate the contents of the print media neutrally and efficiently. It is the method of analyzing and studying the communication in quantitative, systematic and objective manner to measure the variables (Kerlinger, 1986). 

All Urdu daily newspapers of Pakistan are the universe of the study. Furthermore, Daily Urdu Express and Daily Urdu Jang newspapers are selected due to their highest circulation and readership among the people.

Each world having the positive or negative sense according to the research’s variables that are defined or the combination of the word or sentence making the accurate sense is the unit of analysis for the study. 

Operationalization of Variables

Administration

All CPEC news that carry; beneficent for all provinces, success for all provinces, no deprivation for any province, western route completion, challenges overcome, fast track implementation, development of western route, development of eastern route, conference in Gilgit, clean drinking water projects, equality for all provinces, KPK major beneficiary, will be related to Administration.




Business

All CPEC news that carry; Beneficent, leads to success, connecting Pakistan to economic world, trade on the Gwadar port by other countries, facilitation for Chinese businessmen in Punjab, Pakistan as regional industrial centre, Gwadar as free trade zone, industrial park in Gwadar, other countries participation, Banking sector rise, part of world’s emerging markets, economic strength, beginning of trade at Gwadar, back to world business, Pakistan leads in international investment, Pakistan economics trustworthy, business starts up, will be related to Business.




Corruption

All CPEC news that carry; No misuse of funds, firm steps to avoid corruption, corruption free planning, will be related to Corruption.




Development

All CPEC news that carry; city in Gwadar, world leaders praise development of Pakistan, fruitful for entire country, Pakistan at fast economic growth, fate changer for Pakistan, development of Gwadar city, destiny maker, social and economic development, prosperity in coming years, favorable for country, Pakistan’s development, will be related to development.




Education

All CPEC news that carry; scholarships for Baloch students, will be related to Education. The financial

assistance for academic activities will also fall in this category.  




Employment

All CPEC news that carry; More job opportunities, will be related to employment.




Energy

All CPEC news that carry; Energy sector development, historical investment in energy sector, end of load shedding, Diamar Bhasha Dam development, will be related to Energy.




Infrastructure

All CPEC news that carry; Transport system development, one thousand kilometers roads construction, train and sea cargo, Gwadar airport, increase in Gwadar port capacity, Karachi as developed city, will be related to infrastructure.




International Relations

All CPEC news that carry; Game changer, prosperous for entire region, Pakistan as leader in Asia, painful for enemy, fast Asia train to connect Pakistan with Europe and other countries, Pakistan as Asian tiger, invitation for other countries to be part of CPEC, will be related to International relations.




Political Party Politics

All CPEC news that carry; All parties united, all political parties satisfied, western route is the part, KPK satisfied, Interruption in CPEC will not be tolerated, all political party’s alliance, will be related to Political Party Politics.




Loans

All news that carry foreign loans for development or investment purposes related to CPEC.  




Pak-China Bilateral Relations

All CPEC news that carry; A gift of China, a proud of China , China and Pakistan together for success, Pakistan and China strategic partners in region, China proved friendship, China turns down reservation of India, China maintaining the respect of Pakistan at international level, traffic between China and Pakistan, Pakistan China cultural interaction, Pakistan China fellows in hard times, Huge amount investment by China, Pakistan China long term friendship, China trusts Pakistan, Pak China relations strengthen, Urdu mobile application, beneficent for people, China to stand along Pakistan, Pakistan China solidarity will be related to Pak-China Bilateral Relations.




Peace

All news which highlight effects of CPEC on peace in the region. The news which portrays the more positive relationships among the various countries in result of CPEC will also fall in this category.  




Security

All CPEC news that carry; Security force established, Safe environment ensured, security as National responsibility, taking long term security, safe Pakistan ensured, huge amount spent for security, water security, Pakistan China Maritime Coordination, recruitment in security force, will be related to Security.




Negative Portrayal

All that news about CPEC in the print media that negatively portray the image of CPEC will be the “negative portrayal” of the CPEC and such news may carry the words like; not beneficent, causing conflict, unequal distribution of rights, self-province advantage, suspicions, deprivations, misuse of funds, disputed, politicizing for political party benefits. 




Positive Portrayal

All those news about CPEC that negatively portrays the image of CPEC will be the “positive portrayal” of the CPEC and such news may carry the words like; beneficent, beneficent for all provinces, success for all provinces, No deprivation for any province, a gift of China,  leads to success, all parties united, western route completion, peace, challenges overcome, all political parties on satisfied, Security force established, No misuse of funds, city in Gwadar, world leaders praising development of Pakistan, game changer, connecting Pakistan to economic world, will be succeeded by all means, western route is the part, KPK satisfied, will turn in to reality by all means, a proud of China, Safe environment ensured, fruitful for entire country, Pakistan at fast economic growth, other countries using the Gwadar port for trade, prosperous for entire region, China and Pakistan together for success, Pakistan as leader in Asia, Gwadar airport, fate changer for Pakistan, implementation on fast track, Pakistan and China strategic partners in region, security as National responsibility, facilitation for Chinese businessmen in Punjab, China proved friendship, taking long term security, good bye to foreign loans, painful for enemy, safe Pakistan ensured, huge amount spent for security, China turns down reservation of India, development of western route, development of eastern route, development of energy sector, development of infrastructure, Pakistan as regional industrial centre, firm steps taken to avoid corruption, destiny maker,  development of Gwadar city, China maintaining the respect of Pakistan at international level, conference in Gilgit, historical investment in energy sector, Gwadar as free zone, traffic between China and Pakistan, scholarships for Baloach students, China says India to have developmental thinking on CPEC matter, Interruption in CPEC will not be tolerated, Pakistan China cultural interaction, Pakistan China solidarity, industrial park in Gwadar, Pakistan China fellows for hard times, other countries participation, Huge amount invested by China, fast Asia train to connect Pakistan with Europe and other countries, very important project, social and economic development, Banking sector on rise, India kneels down before Pakistan, part of world’s emerging markets, more job opportunities, Economic strength, transport system development, end of load shedding, construction  of one thousand kilometers roads, clean drinking water projects, trade begins at Gwadar, a divine blessing, prosperity in coming years, train and sea cargo, Pakistan China long term friendship, Pakistan as Asian tiger, Equality for all provinces, water security, China trusts Pakistan, favorable for country, KPK major beneficiary, strengthens Pak China relations, Pakistan China Maritime Coordination, Urdu mobile application, all political parties alliance, beneficent for people, Gwadar port capacity increase, Karachi as developed city, Diamar Bhasha Dam development, recruitment in security force, back in world business, development of energy sector, Pakistan leads in international investment, China to stand along Pakistan, invitation for other countries to be part of it, Pakistan economics trustworthy, Pakistan’s development, Business starts, corruption free planning.

Coding Sheet

The Coding Sheet was Developed as Following

S. No

DATE

FACTOR_1

FACTOR_2

FACTOR_...

NEWS PAPER_1

NEWS PAPER_2

NEWS PAPER_1

NEWS PAPER_2

NEWS PAPER_1

NEWS PAPER_2

P/P

N/P

P/P

N/P

P/P

N/P

P/P

N/P

P/P

N/P

P/P

N/P

Note: -

S/NO: - The serial number of the contents

DATE: -The date of the portrayal of the variable

FACTOR_1: - The major 14 factors developed by researchers to categorize the portrayal of the variables. The “_1” indicates the Factor one as given order in the research study as the total factors developed were 14.

NEWSPAPER_1: - Daily Urdu Express Newspaper

NEWSPAPER_2: - Daily Urdu Jang Newspaper

P/P: - Positive Portrayal

N/P: - Negative Portrayal

 

Quantitative Analysis

All the news about CPEC was gathered from “Daily Jang” and “Daily Express” published in year 2016 and a content sheet was developed. Then from all the contents, fourteen variables were formed. To analyze the data and to acquire the desired results, the obtained data was entered into the SPSS and the variables were defined as per format. The frequencies were obtained through the statistical procedure and then were analyzed. 

Results

To find out the ratio and to make answers to our first research question, the researchers applied the descriptive statistics. The results showed that administratively the CPEC was portrayed positively in the “Daily Jang” and “Daily Express”. The statistics showed that 73% of the overall news portrayed the CPEC positively in which 42.3% were published in the “Daily Jang” and 30.7% in the “Daily Express”. 27% of the overall news portrayed the CPEC negatively according to the issues.  

 

	Percent	Valid Percent
Daily Jang P/P	42.3	42.3
Daily Jang N/P	9.2	9.2
Daily Express P/P	30.7	30.7
Daily Express N/P	17.8	17.8
Total	100.0	100.0



CPEC was portrayed positively with business point of view. 95.7% of the total news portrayed the CPEC positively in which 47.2% were published in the “Daily Jang” and 48.5% in the “Daily Express”.

 

	Percent	Valid Percent
Daily Jang P/P	47.2	47.2
Daily Jang N/P	4.3	4.3
Daily Express P/P	48.5	48.5
Total	100.0	100.0



The results calculated that CPEC was portrayed corruption free or in the sense that anticorruption policies might be solicited with 74.9% of the total news and inverse 25.1% of the news.

	Percent	Valid Percent
Daily Jang P/P	31.3	31.3
Daily Jang N/P	20.2	20.2
Daily Express P/P	43.6	43.6
Daily Express N/P	4.9	4.9
Total	100.0	100.0



89% of the total news assumed the CPEC as a major project of development in which 49.1% were published in the “Daily Jang” and 39.9% in the “Daily Express”.  

 

	Percent	Valid Percent
Daily Jang P/P	49.1	49.1
Daily Jang N/P	2.5	2.5
Daily Express P/P	39.9	39.9
Daily Express N/P	8.6	8.6
Total	100.0	100.0



The role of CPEC in the education and employment sectors was portrayed positively in which 51.5% of the news were published in the “Daily Jang” and 48.5% in the “Daily Express”. No single news in that regard was published in the major newspaper in Pakistan. Assessment of role of CPEC in energy sector or the news had the positive sense in that regard showed the same results as the education and employment sectors.

 

	Percent	Valid Percent
Daily Jang P/P	51.5	51.5
Daily Express P/P	48.5	48.5
Total	100.0	100.0



	Percent	Valid Percent
Daily Jang P/P	51.5	51.5
Daily Express P/P	48.5	48.5
Total	100.0	100.0



 

	Percent	Valid Percent
Daily Jang P/P	49.7	49.7
Daily Jang N/P	1.8	1.8
Daily Express P/P	48.5	48.5
Total	100.0	100.0

The results showed that 98.2% of the total news portrayed the CPEC positively in sense of infrastructure. 49.7% of the total news was published in the “Daily Jang” and 48.5% of the total news in “Daily Express”.



	Percent	Valid Percent
Daily Jang P/P	42.9	42.9
Daily Jang N/P	8.0	8.0
Daily Express P/P	45.4	45.4
Daily Express N/P	3.7	3.7
Total	100.0	100.0



Pakistan has earned a leading role with CPEC. The results assumed that 88.3% of the total news declared the project positive for international relations of Pakistan in which 42.9% news were published in the “Daily Jang” and 45.4% in “Daily Express”. Remaining portrayed negatively in that context.

	Percent	Valid Percent
Daily Jang P/P	47.2	47.2
Daily Jang N/P	4.3	4.3
Daily Express P/P	44.2	44.2
Daily Express N/P	4.3	4.3
Total	100.0	100.0



The project was portrayed as a solution to dig out Pakistan from the massive economic disasters. 91.4% of the total news portrayed the CPEC helpful to goodbye the foreign funding or loans in which 47.2% were published in the “Daily Jang” and 44.2% in “Daily Express”. Remaining 8.6% portrayed that negatively.

 

	Percent	Valid Percent
Daily Jang P/P	50.7	50.7
Daily Express P/P	49.3	49.3
Total	100.0	100.0



	Percent	Valid Percent
Daily Jang P/P	39.3	39.3
Daily Jang N/P	12.3	12.3
Daily Express P/P	13.5	13.5
Daily Express N/P	35.0	35.0
Total	100.0	100.0



The maximum negative portrayal was examined in the context of party politics. The opposition parties remained busy in politicizing the project. The results showed that 47.3% of the total news portrayed negative image of the project. But in fact, the ruling party succeeded to portray the project positively with 52.8% of the total news.  

	Percent	Valid Percent
Daily Jang P/P	54.7	54.7
Daily Express P/P	45.3	45.3
Total	100.0	100.0



Completion of CPEC remained very sensitive issue in 2016. Results calculated that no negative coverage has been made in leading Pakistani newspaper in that context. 54.7% of the positive coverage was given by “Daily Jang” and 45.3% by “Daily Express”.

	Percent	Valid Percent
Daily Jang P/P	56.8	56.8
Daily Express P/P	43.2	43.2
Total	100.0	100.0



Security is very essential for any project. Pakistan has established a special security force for CPEC and Pakistan Navy came forward for the safe route of CPEC. The print media has contributed positively throughout the year. The figures calculated that 56.8% of the total news portrayed the security positively in the “Daily Jang” and 43.2% in “Daily Express”. No negative coverage has been made in that context.



From all the results, it was assessed that 88.9% of the total news about CPEC published in “Daily Express” were positive and 11.1% negative. At the same time, 91.4% of the total news about CPEC published in “Daily Jang” was positive and 8.6% were negative. 

The answer to the research question 2 was founded by describing the factors under positive portrayal of the CPEC in the given  pie chart. The overall 14 factors have been identified along with their percentage under positive portrayal of CPEC in the news. 



The answer to the research question 3 was analyzed by describing the factors under negative portrayal of the CPEC in the given below pie chart. The overall 14 factors have been identified along with their percentage under negative portrayal of CPEC in the news. 



The thorough analysis of all the contents and the variables highlighted that administration and administrative actions, business opportunities, no tolerance in corruption or the actions taken to make CPEC corruption free, development, opportunities in education and employment sectors through CPEC, development of energy projects to overcome the energy crises in Pakistan, infrastructure development, relationship of Pakistan with the other countries and opportunities to strengthen these relationship through CPEC, how to overcome the loan crises, Pak-China bilateral relations, statements of the politicians in favor of CPEC and the actions taken for security and peace for proper and in time completion and implementation of CPEC were the factors to portray positive the CPEC.

In the same context, almost no negative portrayal of CPEC has been examined in the leading Pakistani newspapers. The CPEC news related to the factor Party Politics has been found negative. Chances of corruption in the whole project were also a major point in negative sense but all was in the statements of the opposition that had put it in party politics too.  

Discussion

Media plays a vital role in implementation and making perceptions about any event or project. Governments in the world try to have good relations with the media organizations and for that make proper institutions among their governments as well as in their parties. In the context of CPEC, the Pakistani media has played its role being the fourth pillar of the society. 

McHugh and Mary (2009) argued the effects of the media contents with the findings that the viewers made sketches according to their own perceptions developed by media contents. The researchers found the media so powerful that could make the changes in the society. Finding of different factors used to have positivity among the readers and to have overall impact was an attempt to show the perceived changes among the viewers. The more positivity in the factors showed that the main stream press was aware to its role in CPEC.

The statistical findings of the study concluded that main stream Pakistani print media had portrayed the CPEC in a positive way. The print media used the different factors such as education and employment opportunities and to overcome the energy crises, mega development projects and the relations with the different countries of the world to show the CPEC as a positive project.

References

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