Pakistan, China launch green channel for Khunjerab agricultural trade

Pakistan and China signed an agreement on Thursday to operationalise a green channel at the Sost-Khunjerab border, aiming to accelerate bilateral trade in agricultural and related products. The arrangement will give eligible consignments priority processing while retaining customs controls based on assessed risks.

Representatives of the two countries’ customs administrations signed the agreement during an online ceremony hosted at the Federal Board of Revenue in Islamabad. Pakistan’s delegation was led by Customs Operations Member Syed Shakeel Shah, while Li Qinghua, deputy head of Urumqi Customs and director of Tashkurgan Customs, headed the Chinese side.

The green channel will cover a mutually agreed list of agricultural products. Qualifying shipments will receive priority examination and clearance, a measure intended to reduce the time goods spend at the mountainous border crossing without removing necessary inspection and compliance procedures.

The agreement also introduces closer information sharing between the two customs administrations. Officials will exchange risk alerts and other relevant data to improve coordination, strengthen cross-border trade management and identify potentially non-compliant consignments more efficiently.

Perishable goods are expected to benefit most from priority handling because extended delays can damage fresh agricultural products and reduce their commercial value. Faster movement through the border could help Pakistani farmers and exporters deliver eligible goods to Chinese markets with less spoilage and greater predictability.

Pakistan’s delegation also included senior customs officials from Peshawar and Gilgit-Baltistan, along with representatives of the Department of Plant Protection, the National Agri-trade and Food Safety Authority, Pakistan Single Window and the Ministry of Commerce. Pakistan’s commercial counsellor at its embassy in China also participated.

Khunjerab Pass links Gilgit-Baltistan with China’s Xinjiang region through the Karakoram Highway. Located approximately 15,500 feet above sea level, it is recognised as the world’s highest paved international border crossing. Under a bilateral border protocol signed in 1985, the route traditionally remains open for travel and trade between April and November, while heavy winter snowfall restricts activity.

Trade through the crossing has already grown in financial importance. Pakistan Customs collected a record Rs15 billion in revenue from Chinese imports passing through Khunjerab last year. Exports worth Rs2.8 billion were also transported through the route to China and Central Asian markets.

The agreement could strengthen Pakistan’s agricultural export capacity and improve the reliability of northern trade corridors, particularly for time-sensitive products. Its practical impact will depend on the final product list, effective data exchange and consistent implementation of priority clearance procedures by customs and border agencies on both sides.