Pakistan and China resuming land route trade on May 10

Pakistan and China will resume their land route trade through Karakoram Highway from Monday, after break of about more than four months.
The trade was suspended due to severe winter season in the area.
A senior Chinese official told the newsmen in Beijing that the Chinese Custom Authority has made all necessary arrangements to start work at Torkham-Sust custom point for facilitating import-export between the two countries.
The official hoped that Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) that came into effect early this year will give a big boost to Sino-Pak bilateral trade, particularly through the land route the PTA will provide a better access to the Pakistani products in the Chinese market.
According to the sources, the joint ministerial commission of the two countries will meet by the end of this year to discuss ways and means to further expand the trade ties.
The current annual trade turnover between Islamabad and Beijing of 1.5 billion dollar is expected to increase by identifying new areas of economic co-operation.
China will also start implementing an agreement from May.15 that allows Pakistani vehicles pass through its territory while travelling to some Central Asian States.
In the beginning, the transit agreement will be applicable to the transport vehicles going to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan through the Chinese territory.
Necessary permits will be issued to the vehicles for the transit transportation according to the procedure laid down in the agreement.