Pakistan, China sign agreement to operationalise green channel at Sost-Khunjerab border

Pakistan and China have agreed to introduce a customs green channel for selected agricultural and related goods at the Sost-Khunjerab border, Dawn reported on October 29. The agreement was signed online by the two countries’ customs administrations at the Federal Board of Revenue, with delegations led by customs officials from Pakistan and China.

Eligible shipments are to receive priority processing and examination under risk-based controls, while the arrangement also enables customs authorities to share information and risk alerts. Perishable goods are set to receive priority handling to reduce delays. The pass links Gilgit-Baltistan with China’s Xinjiang region and is generally open for trade from April to November; Pakistan Customs collected Rs15 billion on imports from China through the crossing last year, while exports worth Rs2.8bn also moved through it.