China offers facilities at Pak's Torkham border crossing

China has offered to build facilities, including a hospital, at the Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan to promote trade and commerce in the region.

"The functioning of the Torkham border crossing is very meaningful for expansion of trade in future," Chinese Ambassador to Islamabad Yao Jing said here on Wednesday on the sidelines of the two-day international conference on ‘Belt and Road Initiative, Pakistan and China Economic Corridor and Trans-Regional Integration'.

The Chinese envoy termed the 24-hour functioning of the Torkham border crossing a very positive step and said China was ready to build customs, cold storage facilities and the hospital there.

The Torkham border crossing, around 55 km west of Peshawar, was opened round-the-clock on a trial basis on September 2 to enhance trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Imran Khan and Afghan President Dr Ashraf Ghani are expected to attend the formal crossing opening ceremony on September 14, officials said.