The National Logistics Corporation (NLC) has launched a new route for transporting goods from China to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through Pakistan, using the international TIR road transport system.
This development is a significant step forward for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), providing a faster and more efficient way to move goods from China to Gulf countries, according to Radio Pakistan.
A truck carrying electronic goods left Kashgar, China, and is heading to the Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, passing through Pakistan. The journey started with a stop at the NLC Dry Port in Sost, Gilgit-Baltistan, where a ceremony marked the occasion. The truck will travel from Kashgar to Karachi in just eight days, compared to the previous month-long journey by sea. Once in Karachi, the goods will be shipped to Dubai by sea in two days. In total, the trip from China to the UAE will now take just 10 days, instead of nearly a month.
This new route offers several benefits to businesses. The NLC official in charge of the China project said the route has already attracted more customers, expanding trade with Pakistan and Afghanistan. They expect the annual number of trips to exceed 1,000 in the future.
The Khunjerab Pass, which connects China and Pakistan, is key to this trade route. In the past, it mainly handled bilateral trade, but now it is being used for larger-scale regional trade, including exports of textiles, agricultural goods, and other products.
The NLC emphasized that this achievement marks a major step forward in CPEC, making the Khunjerab Pass an important year-round gateway for trade between China and the Gulf region.