ISLAMABAD: To aid in local trade and significant hydropower projects, the sole border crossing between Pakistan and China has been momentarily reopened.
The Karakorum ranges, the world’s tallest mountain range, divide the two adjacent nations. The only route connecting these two nations is the Khunjerab Pass, which is located at a height of 16,200 feet. The Xinjiang Uyghur area and Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan are connected by the highest paved international road in the world, which enters China.
The border is typically open from May to November; due to significant snowfall throughout the winter, it is closed.
After Pakistan and China agreed to reopen the Khunjerab Border temporarily in two parts, Mumtaz Zehra Baloch, the spokeswoman for the Foreign Office, announced this in her weekly media conference.
She stated, “In the initial phase, the Khunjerab Border will open today for two days (19-20 January 2023) and again from end-January to early February 2023, following the Chinese Spring Festival.
Every year during the winter, the Khunjerab Border between Pakistan and China remains closed. The request from Pakistan for a brief reopening of the border to assist regional traders has been granted by the Chinese side.
Despite adverse weather, she said, “we appreciate the extra efforts of border authorities on both sides to guarantee seamless crossing operations.”
