Initial trade begins under CPEC

GILGIT: A convoy of containers from China moving towards Gwadar as initial trade activities between China and Pakistan have started under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project (CPEC).

The first convoy of 100 Chinese containers arrived at the Sust dry port in Hunza yesterday. The inaugural ceremony held at Sust dry port.

Sust is a village in Hunza. It’s the last town in Pakistan on the Karakoram highway before the Chinese border crossing.

The 45 containers left for Gwadar after custom clearance.

The ceremony was attended by Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman and Chinese officials.

GB chief minister addressing the ceremony said that under the CPEC the fate of GB would change, adding that one thousand Chinese containers would pass through the Karakoram highway in Gilgit-Baltistan every week.

He said that it was an important day for both China and Pakistan since trade activity under the CPEC had officially started.

The federal government has approved projects worth Rs72 billion in the region to provide GB with modern technology he said.

The customs officials at Sust port have said that 45 Chinese containers have departed from Sust to Gwadar and the remaining would leave after clearance.