Pak-China border for land route trade reopens

Pak-China border for land route trade via Karakoram Highway was reopened Tuesday. Chinese official sources told APP in Beijing that the Customs authorities have started work at Taxkorgan-Sust customs point for facilitating import-export between two countries.
The customs check-point, which was opened to Pakistan in 1982, is normally closed for trade and tourism during winter season from December 30 to May 1. It located in the western suburbs of the Tajik autonomous country of Taxkorgan and about 3,200 meters above sea level.
The border trade and tourism are likely to get impetus in June as the governments of both countries had decided to run a bus service between Gilgit and Kashgar thrice a week. It will be for the first time that Pakistan's Northern Areas will be connected with China's Western region through a regular bus service.
According to formal protocol concluded by the two countries last March, one bus will be operated from each side on daily basis that will travel between Sust and Tashkorgan. Each side will launch another bus service thrice a week between Kashgar, Sust, Khunjrab and Gilgit.
The two countries will also start goods transportation service via Khunjrab Pass from this month. Pakistani vehicles carrying goods will have direct access up to Kashgar. They would not be required to reload their goods at the border point.
Whereas the Chinese containers and trucks will have direct access up to Pakistani ports. This will be in line with the policy of Pakistan government to develop its ports as hub of trade activities for the regional countries.
It was also agreed that each side would issue 3,000 permits to their registered transporters to carry goods between the two countries. Each permit will be valid for one-round trip and the vehicles will be operated from the designated points. The number of permits could be gradually increased according to the demand of the transporters.
The protocol is an important step forward to channelise the existing road network arrangement between the two countries. It will go a long way promoting their commercial links and strengthening people-to-people contacts, the sources added.
Meanwhile, an official of the Chinese government hoped that the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) that came into effect from January this year would also help strengthen the Sino-Pak economic bilateral trade through land route.
The Preferential Trade Agreement, he said, would open greater opportunities for Pak products to access to the Chinese market.
As per agreement, China allows tariff concession to Pakistan on more than 800 items, whereas Pakistani side will give concession to China on about 200 items.