Khunjerab Pass to Operate Year-Round, Boosting China-Pakistan Trade

Urumqi, The Gulf Observer: The Khunjerab Pass, a key land port on the China-Pakistan border in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, will begin year-round operations starting Sunday, according to local sources.

Situated at an altitude of approximately 5,000 meters above sea level, the Khunjerab Pass serves as a crucial trade hub between China and Pakistan, as well as an important gateway to South Asia and Europe.

Previously, due to its high altitude and harsh weather conditions, the Khunjerab Pass operated only from April to November, closing between December and March. The extension of its operational period is expected to significantly boost economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, while also facilitating greater people-to-people exchanges.

Since the resumption of passenger customs clearance on April 1 this year, over 50,000 passengers have crossed the Khunjerab Pass. By the end of October, the port saw more than 11,000 inbound and outbound vehicles, and the import and export cargo volume reached 40,900 tonnes, marking increases of 42.6 percent and 72.7 percent year-on-year, respectively, according to Khunjerab Customs.