15 containers enter Pakistan as trade resumes through Khunjerab Pass

KHUNJERAB PASS, (NNI): As many as 15 trucks carrying goods from China entered Pakistan on Monday marking the resumption of trade activities between the two countries through Khunjerab Pass which remained close for four months.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AJ International Cargo China to Pakistan, Khurram Zafar, along with local politicians welcomed the trade convoys from China.

A grand ceremony was held regarding the opening of the border at Khunjerab Pass.

Former member Gilgit Assembly Javed Hussain, former provincial minister Muhammad Baqir, former provincial finance minister Muhammad Ali Akhtar also participated in the ceremony. A large number of businessmen from across the country including Gilgit-Baltistan were present on this occasion.

On the first day, 15 containers came to Pakistan from China with commercial goods which will be dispatched to Lahore, Rawalpindi, Karachi and other cities.

Last year in 2023, more than 400 containers came to Pakistan from Khunjerab Pass in six months, said Khurram Zafar, adding due to the arrival of containers in Pakistan, the government earned a revenue of Rs5.45 billion in the form of customs.

Local people also get employment opportunities when trade resumed through Khunjerab Pass, said former member Gilgit Assembly Javed Hussain, requesting the federal government to keep Khunjerab Pass open for commercial traffic throughout the year.

The Khunjerab Pass connects Gilgit-Baltistan with China's Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region and was closed on December 1, 2023, due to harsh weather.

China is a major ally and investor in Pakistan. The two countries collaborate on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship project under China's Belt and Road Initiative, with more than $65 billion pledged for road, rail, and other infrastructure developments in the South Asian nation.