Cross-border bus service between Gilgit, Kashgar resumes after 14 years

Islamabad: The Northern Areas Transport Corporation (NATCO) has officially received approval from Pakistan’s Federal Ministry of Communications to restart its cross-border bus service between Gilgit and Kashgar, China, after a 14-year suspension, officials said.

This service, which had been discontinued in 2010 due to a natural disaster, was halted when a massive landslide led to the creation of Attabad Lake, submerging a 14-kilometer stretch of the crucial Karakoram Highway (KKH).

The restoration of this vital transport link is the result of a collaborative effort between NATCO, a state-owned transport company in Gilgit-Baltistan, and Xinjiang-Kashgar Xin Lu Transportation Co. Ltd, a Chinese company.

The resumption of this bus service is expected to greatly improve connectivity between Pakistan and China, facilitating increased tourism and trade, particularly in the scenic and strategically important region of Gilgit-Baltistan.

This development is a significant part of the broader China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), further solidifying the economic and transport ties between the two neighboring countries.

On September 30, 2024, the Ministry of Communications had granted NATCO a No Objection Certificate (NOC), allowing the corporation to proceed with finalizing an agreement with its Chinese counterpart to officially restart the service.

The ministry’s approval is in line with discussions held during the Second Meeting of the Xinjiang-Pakistan Economic and Trade Cooperation Working Group. NATCO has also been instructed to submit the finalized agreement for record-keeping.

NATCO spokesperson Ehsan Shah saud that the bus service is scheduled to begin before the Khunjerab Pass closes for the winter in December. He noted that the two sides are working on updating certain aspects of the original 2006 agreement, with a formal signing ceremony expected in the coming weeks.

The reestablishment of the Gilgit-Kashgar bus service will reforge the connection between the picturesque Gilgit-Baltistan region and Kashgar, a key trade hub in China’s Xinjiang province, providing new opportunities for economic cooperation and cultural exchange.