PAKISTAN AND CHINA WILL START A REGULAR BUS SERVICE ON DAILY BASIS FROM JUNE 1 THIS YEAR TO FACILITATE THE PEOPLE TO TRAVEL BETWEEN GILGIT AND KASHGAR, AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT SAID. THE DECISION TO THIS EFFECT WAS TAKEN AT THE SENIOR OFFICIALS LEVEL MEETING HELD IN URUMQI, CHINA. IT WILL BE FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT PAKISTAN'S NORTHERN AREAS WILL BE CONNECTED WITH CHINA'S WESTERN REGION THROUGH A REGULAR BUS SERVICE. THE TWO COUNTRIES WILL ADOPT A STANDARD ARRANGEMENT FOR TRAVELING THROUGH THE LAND ROUTE. ACCORDING TO FORMAL PROTOCOL CONCLUDED BY THE TWO PARTIES, ONE BUS WILL BE OPERATED FROM EACH SIDE ON DAILY BASIS THAT WILL TRAVEL BETWEEN SUST AND TASHKORGAN. EACH SIDE WILL LAUNCH ANOTHER BUS SERVICE THRICE A WEEK BETWEEN KASHGAR, SUST, KHUNJERAB AND GILGIT. THE TWO COUNTRIES WILL ALSO START GOODS TRANSPORTATION SERVICE VIA KHUNJERAB PASS FROM MAY 1. PAKISTANI VEHICLES CARRYING GOODS WILL HAVE DIRECT ACCESS UP TO KASHGAR. THEY WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO RELOAD THEIR GOODS AT THE BORDER POINT. THE CHINESE CONTAINERS AND TRUCKS WILL HAVE DIRECT ACCESS UP TO PAKISTANI PORTS. THIS WILL BE IN LINE WITH THE POLICY OF PAKISTAN GOVERNMENT TO DEVELOP ITS PORTS AS HUB OF TRADE ACTIVITIES FOR THE REGIONAL COUNTRIES.
