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Pak decides to reopen border with China as SARS contained
Islamabad, June 15: Pakistan has decided to open its seasonal border with China after a delay of almost two months due to fears of the deadly SARS virus, an official report said today.
Islamabad, June 15: Pakistan has decided to open its seasonal border with China after a delay of almost two months due to fears of the deadly SARS virus, an official report said today.
"The government of Pakistan has now decided to reopen the border, since the Chinese government has successfully contained the disease," the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said.
The border along the mountainous Karakorum highway was scheduled to reopen on May 1, after the winter season.
But the government had blocked normal trade and travel convoys to prevent the spread of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus.
The Sino-Pakistan border will be reopened from Monday for trade and normal traveling, APP said.
It said necessary medical staff and equipment would be available at the Sust check post, 65 km from the 4,709 meter-high Khunjerab pass.
The closure of the border was causing a "huge loss" to business between the two countries, it said adding that a large number of vehicles carrying imports and exports were stuck up at Sust.
Custom and immigration staff would soon move to the border to clear goods, the news agency said.
The border crossing normally opens ahead of each summer on May 1, after a closure of five to six months due to heavy snows.
Through the summer and late autumn thousands of traders cross daily along the ancient Silk Road, now called the Karakoram highway.
Bureau Report
The border along the mountainous Karakorum highway was scheduled to reopen on May 1, after the winter season.
But the government had blocked normal trade and travel convoys to prevent the spread of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus.
The Sino-Pakistan border will be reopened from Monday for trade and normal traveling, APP said.
It said necessary medical staff and equipment would be available at the Sust check post, 65 km from the 4,709 meter-high Khunjerab pass.
The closure of the border was causing a "huge loss" to business between the two countries, it said adding that a large number of vehicles carrying imports and exports were stuck up at Sust.
Custom and immigration staff would soon move to the border to clear goods, the news agency said.
The border crossing normally opens ahead of each summer on May 1, after a closure of five to six months due to heavy snows.
Through the summer and late autumn thousands of traders cross daily along the ancient Silk Road, now called the Karakoram highway.
Bureau Report