Khunjerab Pass is Finally Opening for Trade After 2 Years

Khunjerab Pass, a vital trade route between Pakistan and China, will be reopened for commercial activities on 1 April after remaining closed since November 2019 due to the spread of COVID-19. According to an official privy to the development, the Chinese authorities sent Pakistan a letter regarding the reopening of the border, as per the May 2013 agreement between the two countries. The Chinese authorities assured in the letter that special measures would be taken to prevent the virus from spreading across Khunjerab Pass. Similarly, the Pakistani border authorities have also been ordered to take all necessary precautions to prevent coronavirus spread, he added. It is to be noted that Khunjerab Pass was temporarily opened from 29 July 2020 to 10 August 2020 to allow the passage of containers filled with goods. Later, Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood, also confirmed the development on Twitter. “We are pleased to share that China is opening the Khunjerab Border on 1 April 2022. It will not only help in utilization of the second phase of Pakistan-China FTA but it will also support the local commerce on both sides of the border,” he wrote on Twitter.