Rs5m bank statement now mandatory for China border pass

GILGIT: Revising the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for issuing border passes to China, the Gilgit-Baltistan Home & Prisons Department has made a bank statement showing Rs5 million transaction during the current fiscal year (CFY) mandatory for business category.

Located approximately 15,500 feet above sea level, the Khunjerab Pass is a major trade station between China and Pakistan and an important gateway for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The pass officially transitioned from a seasonal operation to a year-round trade service last month. Under a bilateral agreement between the two countries signed in 1985 and updated in 2013, the pass remains open for travel and trade. According to the agreement, residents of Gilgit-Baltistan are permitted to visit Xinjiang province for trade and tourism without requiring a valid visa.

Under the revised SOPs for the business category, a bank statement showing a minimum transaction of Rs5 million, along with a Business Registration Certificate from the GB Commerce and Industries Department and a membership letter from a registered chamber of commerce, has been made mandatory.

The other SOPs include the original CNIC along with an attested copy, verification of the CNIC through the NADRA portal, a certificate of non-involvement in criminal activities, the original domicile certificate, and proof of payment via a bank fee challan.

The decision has drawn criticism from the business community, particularly small-scale traders involved in baggage trade, who consider the new financial requirements a significant barrier to their livelihood.

Ali Younis, a trader involved in small-scale trade, said the revised SOPs created additional hurdles for small traders and aspiring young entrepreneurs, calling it sheer injustice. He said that the requirement of a bank transaction of Rs. 5 million for the business category was unfair to small traders and young individuals seeking employment opportunities through this trade route. Younis explained that such a condition would limit economic opportunities and widen the gap between the rich and the poor.

“In a region like Gilgit-Baltistan, where employment resources are already scarce, these restrictions will hinder the growth of small traders and youth. The region is already grappling with numerous economic challenges, and these stringent conditions would only make life more difficult for residents,” he added.

Younis emphasized the need for policies that include all economic classes in the region’s development rather than benefiting only large capitalists. Inclusive measures, he said, would not only improve the economy of the region but also promote justice and equality among its people.

Younis added the revised SOPs were pasted on the notice board of the Home Department’s border pass section.

However, Gilgit-Baltistan Home & Prisons Department Deputy Secretary Ghulam Hassan said the new SOPs were “under process and not yet officially notified.”

“A businessman should have a transaction of at least Rs5 million for a whole year if he is a genuine businessman,” he said. Meetings had been held with chambers of commerce and industries, and the SOPs were in the process of being finalized, he added.

When asked why the SOPs were posted outside the Border Pass section if they had not been officially notified, the deputy secretary didn’t respond.

GB Importers and Exporters Association President Muhammad Iqbal said the new SOPs would undermine the core purpose of border pass “people to people contacts”. However, he supported stricter policies to limit the entry of criminals.

GB Importers and Exporters Association President Muhammad Iqbal said the new SOPs would undermine the core purpose of border pass, which is to facilitate “people-to-people contacts.” However, he supported the implementation of stricter policies to limit the entry of criminals.