Pakistan and China have decided to launch cargo service through land route by next month. Well placed sources in the Communication Ministry told Business Recorder on Wednesday that all necessary arrangements had been made to start import/export goods transportation between the two countries.
"We have agreed to open up land routes for transportation of goods from May 1, and it is most probably going to start in the first or second week of the next month," the sources said. Pakistan and China had already pledged to start a bus service from June 1.
Officials privy to the development said that initially two operators, the National Logistics Cell (NLC) and Northern Areas Transportation Company (Natco), would start cargo service from Pakistani side.
Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) would be in business when the bus service would be launched in June.
"We will welcome private sector's participation. We are ready to issue permit to any private operator who meets our laid down criteria," an official said, adding that permits would be issued by the Communication Ministry in consultation with the Northern Areas administration.
According to details, all the permissible goods between Pakistan and China would be imported or exported through the land route under this initiative.
The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) would deal with all such affairs, the sources said.
The authorities hoped that the initiative would not only help in strengthening Sino-Pak bilateral trade, but would also provide Pakistani products access to the Chinese market.
Currently, Pakistan export cotton, leather products, minerals and seafood to China, while China's main shipments to Pakistan include machinery, equipment, chemicals, electronics and footwear. China is very keen to use Pakistan as a transit route for Central Asian markets.