The Khunjerab border between Pakistan and China has been opened, adding a new dimension to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
In a virtual meeting held between high-ranking officials from both regions, Pakistan and China agreed to expand working together for mutual development.
Speaking on the occasion, Gilgit Baltistan Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan said that the day marks a historic milestone not only for Gilgit-Baltistan but for Pakistan as well.
“The opening of the Khunjerab border crossing all year round will prove to be a new lifeline for the economy,” the Gilgit Baltistan chief minister added.
Governor of Xinjiang Erkin Tuniyaz said that the friendship between Pakistan and China has entered a new phase.
“We will work together with the leadership of Gilgit-Baltistan for peace, development, and mutual benefit,” he added.
The Chinese side presented a documentary video on customs clearance procedures.
Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said Pakistan was keen to increase cooperation with China in the fields of space technology, satellites, telecommunications, and satellite internet.
The prime minister, in a meeting with a delegation from the Chinese space technology company Galaxy Space, led by the company’s Chairman Xu Ming, said that Pakistan gave great importance to the space technology sector.
The delegation members also showed keen interest in investing in Pakistan’s space industry and joint projects with Pakistani space institutions, as well as private telecom companies.
Thanking the government for warm hospitality, they told the prime minister that their meetings with officials from the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) were very productive.
The meeting was also attended by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Advisor to PM Dr Tauqir Shah and officers from other relevant government departments.
Pakistan has been paying special attention to its space-related advancement, as earlier this year, it successfully launched the country’s first indigenous Electro Optical Satellite (EOS) from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre (JSLC), China.
The satellite reportedly delivers timely updates on floods, landslides, and earthquakes for effective response.
Last year, Suparco launched its first satellite mission to the moon, iCube Qamar, on board China’s Chang’E6 from Hainan, China, for which PM Shehbaz said that the satellite was Pakistan’s first step in space.
Moreover, a satellite internet service, Starlink, is also set to launch in Pakistan by November or December, state minister Shaza Fatima told the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT and Telecom earlier this month.
A Chinese company, Shanghai SpaceCom, had also applied for a satellite internet licence in Pakistan.
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