Trade activity between Pakistan and Chi\u00adna through the Khunjerab Pass is in full swing, with exports from Pakistan to China and Central Asian states increasing this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, local traders have expressed concerns over the non-implementation of the PM\u2019s announcement regarding tax exemptions on impor\u00adted items for local consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pakistan Customs Col\u00adlec\u00adtor Gilgit-Baltistan Shahid Jan told Dawn<\/em> that 1,774 consignments impor\u00adted from China through the Khunjerab Pass were cleared at Sost Dry Port up to March. He said Pakis\u00adtan Customs collected Rs10.16 billion in revenue at Sost from these consignments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is a record revenue collection at Sost Dry Port, despite its closure for 70 days last year following a protest sit-in by GB traders, which blocked trade activities between the two countries,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trade with Central Asian countries under the Multimodal Transports Internationaux Routiers (TIR) system through the Khunjerab route has also remained operational.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ashfaq Ahmed, an app\u00adraising officer at Sost Dry Port, told\u00a0Dawn<\/em>\u00a0that electric vehicles, specialised mining and agricultural ma\u00ad\u00adchinery, which were pre\u00ad\u00ad\u00adviously imported throu\u00ad\u00adgh Karachi port, are being routed via Khunjerab Pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said exports of Pakis\u00adtani oranges, large quantities of mangoes, cherries, pine nuts (chilgoza), mushrooms, local herbs, rice, tea, herbal medicines, and dried apricots to China and Central As\u00ad\u00adi\u00adan countries have increa\u00adsed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shipments from other countries destined for Central Asia, which were earlier routed through Pakistan via Afghanistan, were also diverted to the Khunjerab route and transported onward via China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n