Khunjerab Pass to remain open round the year – Pakistan

GILGIT: The Pakistan-China border post on Khun­jerab Pass opened for year-round trade and travel for the first time on Monday, with 40 Chinese containers loaded with goods and a bus carrying four passengers arriving at Sost (Pakistan) from Xinjiang on Monday.

A bus carrying five passengers left Sost for the Chinese region on the same day.

The locals welcomed the arrival of a bus and goods from China, expressing hopes that the year-round opening of the border would improve the region’s economy and encourage people-to-people contacts.

But traders said they were not confident that arrangements and facilities were adequate on the Pakistan side for trade operations during winter.

Khunjerab Pass connects Gilgit-Baltistan with China’s…