GILGIT, June 30: “The interior ministry has not yet given us any go-ahead signal to open the Sino-Pakistan border at Khunjerab Pass that was scheduled to open on July 1 (Tuesday), after a closure of two months,” a high-ranking official of the Northern Areas administration told Dawn on Monday.

The border with China was initially scheduled to open on May 1, but it was kept closed due the SARS fear in China.

“Due to insufficient and inadequate preventive arrangements to combat deadly SARS virus, the health officials are unable to recommend border opening tomorrow (July 1),” Dr Sher Baz Khan, an official of the health department said.

The opening of the border was postponed during the recent visit of some high-ups to the Sost Check Post.

Northern Areas Chief Secretary Sheikh Ghazanfar Hussain said that he was unable to disclose anything about the border opening tomorrow.