GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan government on Thursday delayed the opening of the Pakistan-China border crossing point at Khunjerab Pass scheduled for February as part of precautionary measures to stop coronavirus’ possible entry into Pakistan from China.
The decision comes days after the GB home department had requested the federal government to delay the opening of Khunjerab Pass, the highest border crossing point between the two neighbors.
According to a spokesperson of the GB government, the recommendation to open the route in the mid of April has been tabled.
Under the border protocol agreement 1985, Khunjerab border crossing remains open from the end of November to April next year. Trade and travel activities between the two countries take place through Khunjerab Pass.
On Jan 22, the federal ministry of foreign affairs through a letter had requested the Chinese government to open Khunjerab Pass from Feb 2 to Feb 8 this year to facilitate entry of over 200 Chinese containers from the Xinjiang province of China to Pakistan.
The containers got stuck in China as they could not be sent to Pakistan from China before the closure of the border crossing on Nov 30 last year.
However, due to the outbreak of coronavirus and the fear of its spread to other countries, the GB authorities had sought a delay in the opening of the pass.
As GB is Pakistan’s closest region to China, precautionary measures are needed to prevent any possible threat of the spread of the disease to Pakistan.
An official said the GB health department has directed the director health and DHO of Hunza to depute staff, medicine and an ambulance at the pass for checking people entering Pakistan from China.
It has also been decided to enhance screening people entering Pakistan through the pass.
