Pakistan, China Sign Deal for Green Channel at Sost-Khunjerab to Fast-Track Farm Trade

Pakistan and China have signed an agreement to open a Green Channel at the Sost-Khunjerab border for agricultural and allied products. Under the deal, consignments from an agreed list of farm goods will get priority customs processing and examination, so trade between the two countries moves faster — and perishable produce reaches its destination before it spoils.

Signed online, at the FBR in Islamabad

The agreement was signed at an online ceremony held on Thursday at the Federal Board of Revenue headquarters in Islamabad, bringing together the customs administrations of both countries. The Pakistani delegation was led by Syed Shakeel Shah, Member Customs (Operations). It also included the Chief Collector of Customs, Peshawar, the Collector of Customs, Gilgit-Baltistan, and representatives of the Department of Plant Protection, NAFSA, Pakistan Single Window and the Ministry of Commerce. The Chinese side was headed by Li Qinghua, deputy head of Urumqi Customs and director of Tashkurgan Customs.

What the Green Channel changes

Eligible agricultural consignments will move through priority processing and examination, while risk-based customs controls stay in place to keep oversight effective. The two customs administrations will also step up information sharing and the exchange of risk alerts, tightening coordination and improving how cross-border trade is managed. Because farm trade is time-sensitive by nature, perishable consignments will be handled on priority to cut delays and get goods across the border in good condition.

Why Khunjerab matters

The Khunjerab Pass links Gilgit-Baltistan with China’s Xinjiang region and, at around 15,500 feet above sea level, is the highest paved international border crossing in the world. Under a border protocol the two countries signed in 1985, the pass stays open for travel and trade between April and November. Last year, Pakistan Customs collected a record of about Rs15 billion in revenue on imports from China through the pass. Officials expect the Green Channel to make farm trade along this key route more organised — and considerably quicker.