GILGIT: Twenty-seven Chinese containers carrying farm equipment have reached Pakistan following the year-long trial run of the Khunjerab Pass for cross-border trade.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a notification released by the Ministry of Commerce that the Chinese side had expressed a desire to open the crossing point for the second trial of the year on March 1.
On November 30, of last year, the Chinese authorities decided to close the high-altitude route for four months during the winter, over a month after they had previously promised to keep it open all year.
As per the terms of the 1986 agreement between the two nations, trade and travel are permitted across the Pakistan-China border at Khunjerab Pass from April until the end of November.
Following the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and interim prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on October 20, 2018, in Beijing during the Third Belt and Road International Cooperation Summit Forum, both nations decided to open the Khunjerab Pass all year round.
Khunjerab Pass temporarily opened as a test run for year-round commerce.
The Chinese government then sent out a notification saying that in order to maintain the year-round operation of the Khunjerab Pass, the two nations would have to negotiate and execute an agreement on border ports and management systems through diplomatic channels.
On the other hand, the Khunjerab Pass was open for 14 days, from January 2 to 16, to allow the movement of products from China to Pakistan. Through the Khunjerab Pass, thirty Chinese containers loaded with export cargo had arrived at the Sost Dry Port.
According to a source, despite significant snowfall on Saturday, 27 Chinese containers carrying farming equipment for the “Green Pakistan” project managed to pass via the Khunjerab Pass.
The Karakoram Highway was now open for the Chinese to move the containers beside them.
According to a police source, the Chinese containers became trapped in the Koksil area when they entered Pakistan and Khunjerab got up to six inches of snow. There were also Chinese drivers stuck in the region with cargo.
Although the Chinese side made plans to open the road to traffic, there were challenges because Pakistan’s side lacked the necessary infrastructure.
