BEIJING:
China Southern Airlines, a major carrier in Asia, is scheduled to recommence the Urumqi-Kashgar-Islamabad route starting January 27, featuring round-trip flights every Saturday. This revival, following nearly 15 years of suspension, reinforces connectivity between China and Pakistan, supplementing the existing two routes connecting Pakistan and Xinjiang, China.
Kashgar, acting as the initial point of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and a crucial hub in the Asia-Europe Golden Passage, assumes a pivotal role as a strategic gateway for western development, as reported by China Economic Net (CEN) on Wednesday. Liu Zhong, Deputy Secretary-General of the Administrative Office of Kashgar, expressed confidence that the opening of the Urumqi-Kashgar-Islamabad route would significantly facilitate international trade and cooperation between China and Pakistan. He added, “This development will contribute to the high-quality construction and development of the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone, specifically in the Kashgar region.”
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The establishment of the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone on November 1, 2023, designates Kashgar as one of the three key zones within it. Ali Khan, an experienced participant in import-export activities, said “This route enables us to transport our products more quickly and conveniently.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 25th, 2024.
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