PAK-CHINA Khunjerab Pass Opened Temporarily On Request

The Pakistan-China border at Khunjerab, the most important border crossing for Pakistan’s economy has been opened till month end to help bilateral trade. The Chinese embassy in Pakistan issued a letter that said the border will remain open from Sept 18 to 30.

Right after the opening, two containers reached the Khunjerab pass with medical equipment from the Xinjiang province for the police department of Gilgit Baltistan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had written a letter to the Embassy of China in Pakistan on the 18th of August to open the Khunjerab pass in order to help the trade in both countries. According to the sources, the letter further suggested that containers arriving from china should be unloaded on the Sost dry port rather than Khunjerab top. The Gilgit-Baltistan traders had earlier requested the ministry of the foreign affair to request Chinese authorities to open the border for trade as people related to the trade had gone jobless and were struggling.

The Khunjerab pass was closed off because of the covid19 pandemic for both trade and travel between Pakistan and China in May this year. Generally, the trade and travel continue through the border from May first to November end the very year.

Pakistan Custom official shared that the containers of Pakistani traders that were previously stranded in China will be traveling across the border following strict SOPs to contain coronavirus transmission.

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However, the GB importers and exporters association and Nagar chamber of commerce and industry say that the 12-day window opening for the trade is not enough and request for it to be kept open till the end of December.