ISLAMABAD: Trade and tourism between China and Pakistan remained suspended for the fourth consecutive day on Monday owing to a sit-in protest against power outages on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region.
Protesters had blocked the KKH, which connects the two countries, on Friday at Ali Abad, a strategic location in Hunza Valley, despite the freezing temperature. They were outraged about frequent power disruptions in GB.
Local officials said 700 trucks, including vehicles loaded with imports and exports, have been stuck at the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) dry port due to the sit-in by various political parties, including the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), members of civil society and trade associations. “Trucks transporting goods from China are stuck at the dry port, while Pakistani trucks meant to transport goods within the country are stranded at various locations within Hunza,” Imran Ali, president of GB’s chamber of commerce and industry, told media.
He said traders were facing serious problems due to the situation. “The machinery to remove snow from the border has also been stuck on the way, the process of restoring the border has not even started,” Ali added.
Local residents said many tourists going to the region to enjoy the snowfall at the Pakistan-China border were returning. The area has seen a gradual increase in commercial activity since Islamabad and Beijing agreed to keep Khunjerab Pass, a vital point, open year-round to facilitate economic exchanges.
