ISLAMABAD, July 1: Pakistan on Tuesday opened its seasonal border with China after a two-month delay caused by fears of SARS.

“The border with China is open today,” Northern Areas Administration Home Secretary Saeed Ahmed Khan told AFP.

An official of the Northern Areas Transport Corporation (NATCO) said transport operation to China was to resume later on Tuesday.

“We have sent a first batch of three jeeps to China’s southwest province of Xinjiang,” NATCO manager Sifat Wali told AFP, whose 15 passengers included Japanese, Canadians, Spaniards, Chinese and Pakistanis.