On Tuesday, a bus service connecting Pakistan and China via the high-altitude Khunjerab border pass resumed after a 14-year hiatus. This initiative was the result of a partnership between a government-owned Pakistani company and a major Chinese transportation firm. Locals welcomed the service, believing it would create new economic opportunities for the region.
The bus service, which used to run through the Khunjerab Pass linking Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region to China’s Xinjiang, was suspended in 2010 after a massive landslide in Hunza’s Attabad village damaged a 14-kilometer stretch of the Karakoram Highway (KKH). The landslide killed at least 20 people and displaced 6,000 locals. The road was later repaired by the Gilgit-Baltistan government, and now the Northern Areas Transportation Company (Natco) has partnered with Xinjiang-Kashgar Xin Lu Transportation Co. Ltd. to resume the bus service between Gilgit and Kashgar, China.
Aziz Ahmed Jamali, Natco’s managing director, confirmed that the bus service officially resumed on Tuesday, with buses operating twice a week at a fare of Rs18,000 ($64.69) per passenger. The service is expected to transport at least 320 passengers each month.
Natco, operating since 1974, serves the Gilgit-Baltistan region, transporting around 500,000 passengers annually on 40 national and international routes. According to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), 96% of trade between Pakistan and China consists of Chinese exports to Pakistan, while Pakistan’s exports to China make up only 4%. Major imports from China include electronics, shoes, garments, and spare parts, while Pakistan exports gemstones, dry fruits, medicinal herbs, and clothing.
Jamali highlighted that the direct route between Gilgit and Kashgar would save traders valuable time and provide new economic opportunities. Iman Shah, special assistant to the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, described the bus service as crucial for enhancing trade and travel between the two countries. Shah, who had traveled to China via Natco in the early 2000s, noted the modern buses would benefit both nations significantly.
Despite recent security challenges, including attacks on Chinese nationals in Pakistan, Shah assured that Natco’s semi-government status would ensure safety for travelers. Local residents expressed optimism about the restored service, with businessman Muhammad Iqbal noting that the bus service’s revival would open up new opportunities for trade and tourism, boosting connectivity between Pakistan and China.
