"I think this will be very beneficial for the Pakistani students who are studying in China," planning minister says

Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal meets Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong in Beijing on April 4, 2023. — APP

BEIJING: Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal Tuesday said efforts were being made to resume the bus service between Pakistan and China through the Khunjerab Pass to help Pakistani students gain access to affordable transportation for travel to China.

“We have requested the Chinese authorities to resume the bus service through this route. And I think this will be very beneficial for the Pakistani students who are studying here,” the minister told APP.

Taking to his Twitter, Iqbal wrote about his meeting with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong and raised issue of keeping Khunjerab Border open full year and restarting bus service between China and Pakistan through the Khunjerab Border.

"It will help trade & people 2 people contact, provide economic transportation to students," he wrote in his tweet.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) politician also stated that he has held a session with Pakistani professionals and students residing in China at the Pakistan embassy in Beijing.

"Appreciated their valuable role in the country’s dev & briefed them about govt’s 5Es reforms initiative to stabilise the economy. Urged them to be a bridge b/w Pak & China," he tweeted.

With regards to the reopening of the Khunjerab Pass on April 3, the minister said it was a very positive development after three years.

“We are very excited over the reopening of the border crossing between the two all-weather friends, ” he said, expressing confidence that trade between the two countries would also resume through the land route.

He hoped that the Khunjerab border facility would be upgraded by both sides, so that it could remain open for 12 months and become an all-weather facility.

About the impact of the opening of border crossing on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and bilateral trade, he said it was good news for the CPEC projects.

“And, it is also good news for Pakistan-China bilateral trade, and business and particularly people in Gilgit-Baltistan as they will greatly benefit from local trade through this border post,” he added.