Simbal Khan, senior fellow at Pakistan's Peace and Development, Planning Commission and CEO of Indus Global Initiative.

"Most of the Pakistani stakeholders consider CPEC to be a game changer for Pakistan on various levels. It brings in Chinese investment and it also projects an image of Pakistan as a healthy destination for business. Pakistan has the specter of terrorism hanging over it, which has affected foreign direct investment, so the Chinese investment is a sign of confidence and is already translating into greater interest from other investors. There is a sense of optimism but there are challenges ahead."