KHUNJERAB PASS

'Khunjerab Pass' (el. 4693 m./15,397 ft.) is a high mountain pass on the northern border of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK, Northan Areas) with the People's Republic of China. The name comes from the Wakhi for ''Blood Valley''.
It is the highest paved border crossing in the world. It is also the highest point on the Karakoram Highway. This section of the road was completed in 1982, superseding two other passes (the Mintaka Pass and Kilik Pass - both unpaved) previously used by travellers.
The long flat pass is often snow-covered during the winter season and is closed from October 15 to May 1. There is excellent grazing on the Chinese side of the pass, and domesticated yaks and ''dzu'' (a cross between yaks and cows) may be seen from the road. On the Pakistani side, the highway travels about 50 km across the extensive Khunjerab National Park before reaching the security outpost of Dih. From there, it is another 35 km to the customs and immigration post at Sust.
In March 2006, the respective governments announced that, commencing on June 1, 2006, daily bus service would begin across the boundary from Gilgit, Pakistan (POK) to Kashghar, the People's Republic of China and road widening work would begin on 600 kilometers of the highway. [1]

Contents

Strategic Position

Railway

See also

References

Strategic Position

Khunjerab Pass is in a strategic position between Pakistan occupied Kashmir and China. It is also very close to the Indian Occupied Kashmir. It is claimed by India that the mujahideen have been crossing over to Indian Occupied Kashmir for several years to help their colleagues on the Indian Occupied side secure freedom from India.

Railway

In 2007, consultants [2] were engaged to investigate the construction of a railway through this pass to connect China with Pakistan.

See also

★ Sust

★ Khunjerab National Park

★ Karakoram Highway

★ Northern Areas

References

★ Curzon, George Nathaniel. 1896. ''The Pamirs and the Source of the Oxus''. Royal Geographical Society, London. Reprint: Elibron Classics Series, Adamant Media Corporation. 2005. ISBN 1-4021-5983-8 (pbk; ISBN 1-4021-3090-2 (hbk).

★ King, John 1989. ''Karakoram Highway : the high road to China''. Hawthorn, Victoria, Lonely Planet Publications. ISBN 0-86442-065-X