China will assist Pakistan in upgrading the Kara Korum Highway (KKH), the greatest symbol of Sino-Pak friendship. The on-going negotiation to this effect between the two countries will be completed soon, this was decided during the meeting held here between Chinese vice minister for communication Feng Zhenglin and the Parliamentary Secretary for Communication Dr Abdul Kadir Khanzada.
Pakistan Ambassador Salman Bashir also attended the meeting. Khanzada who was here to attend the 3rd Euro-Asian Road Transport conference told newsmen on Wednesday that he received very positive indications from the Chinese side providing financial and technical help to Pakistan in improving the 700 kilometers road network between the two countries. A feasibility report has already been prepared for its rehabilitation and up-gradation.
During the meeting, they also discussed the custom and immigration problems being faced by the business community, who undertake trade through the KKH. It was agreed that there should be joint standardised rules, facilitating the traders. Merely issuance of permits for transportation is not enough for strengthening the trade links, he added.
About the KKH, the Parliamentary Secretary further said it needed immediate improvement to cater traffic especially from China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgystan. The KKH has assumed immense significance after the construction of Gwadar seaport, since all traffic to the Central Asia is to be routed through it.
The KKH, a joint venture was built through some highly mountainous terrain and it was completed in 1978 at a high human cost as well as financial spending of about dollar 3 billion. An estimated 25,000 people worked and 1,300 died during construction.
It is considered as an all-weather highway along the site of the southern branch of the ancient Silk Road, the 8th wonder of the world.
Meanwhile, addressing the road transport conference, Dr Abdul Qadir Khanzada said Pakistan attached great importance to establishing road linkage to provide access to the landlocked Central Asian states, Afghanistan and Southern port of China.
He lauded China's generous assistance for the construction of the Gwadar port that will be completed by the end of next year. Gwadar has already been connected with the port city of Karachi through newly built Makran Coastal Highway, he added.
The Gwadar port would provide substantial benefit to Chinese Southern region of Kashgar through transport of its export goods to Middle East, Europe instead of travelling longer distance of about 7000 kms upto Shangai port.
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