February 18, 2006	Saturday	Muharram 19, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 17: Pakistan and China on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding for re-alignment of the Karakoram Highway, increasing the quantum of trade between the two countries and with the Central Asian states.

Memorandum notes were signed and exchanged between chairman National Highway Authority Major-General Farrukh Javed and representative of China Road and Bridge Corporation Lee Chung Feng at the ministry of communications.

Federal Minister for Communications Muhammad Shamim Siddiqi witnessed the MoU signing ceremony.

The KKH serves as an important link between Pakistan and China’s Xinjiang province. The road runs parallel to the Indus River up to the Khunjrab Pass and passes through rugged mountainous terrain ranging between 4,000 ft and 15,500 ft above mean sea level.

The federal minister said that the ministry was expecting a report from the Chinese team about the survey of expansion work.

Lee Chung Feng said that inking of the MoU would would enhance relationship between the two countries and pave the way for development of infrastructure in Pakistan. He said that the experts had carried out comprehensive inspections along the route and a geological survey had also been conducted there.

Chairman NHA Farrukh Javed said that China is providing a soft loan for the upgradation of the Karakoram Highway and China Road and Bridge Corporation was the main contractor.

Maj-Gen Javed said that National Highway’s N-35, which was 806kms long, started from Hassanabdal, Mansehra, Batagram, Thakot, Basham, Pattan, Dasu, Basha, Chilas, Riakot, Gilgit, Denuore, Aliabad, Gulmit, Passu, Khaiber and Sust. The road from Thakot, which was 616-kilometre-long, was called KKH.

He said that N-35 was also part of the Asian Highway Network and was designated as AH-4, which connected the Karachi Port with China through N-5 and N-55.