Sust

Sost

سوست
Sost سوست
Village
	The town of Sost
	Sost Sost Sost Sost
	Coordinates: 36°41′24″N 74°49′16″E / 36.69°N 74.821°E
Country	Pakistan
Autonomous state	Gilgit-Baltistan
Division	Gilgit
District	Hunza
Sub-division	Gojal Tehsil
Elevation	2,800 m (9,200 ft)
Area code	05813-9

Sust or Sost (Urdu: سوست) is a village located in the Gojal, Upper Hunza in the Gilgit–Baltistan region of Pakistan.^[1] Situated at an elevation of 2,800 meters above sea level, Sost is the last Pakistani town on the Karakoram Highway before the Chinese border.

History

The being an entry point to China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), plays an important role in the transportation of both passengers and cargo asit serves as the gateway for all traffic crossing the Pakistan-China border. The Pakistani immigration and customs departments are based in Sost, making it a pivotal point for border clearance and administrative procedures. Furthermore, Pakistan and China have opened the border at Khunjerab for trade and tourism. Sost Also hosts the largest chain of Serena Hotels in Pakistan.

The Silk Route Dry Port commenced its business operations at the port in Sost, Upper Hunza, near the Khunjerab Pass in Gilgit-Baltistan. The annual trade volume between these two countries has seen a significant increase, rising from less than Rs2 billion in 2002 to Rs6.9 billion. Sost Dry Port reportedly collected more than Rs9.5 billion in 2024.

Sost Dry Por is the first formal port at the China-Pakistan border. It serves as a critical hub for customs clearance and other necessary formalities for goods moving from the city of Kashgar and the surrounding Xinjiang autonomous region in China to various commercial centers in Pakistan.

Demography

The Main languages spoken here are Wakhi and Burushaski.

Transport

The Sost dry port is connected by the Karakoram Highway to Gulmit, Aliabad, Gilgit and Chilas on the south and to the Chinese cities of Tashkurgan, Upal and Kashgar in the north. The Northern Areas Transport Corporation offers passenger road service between Islamabad, Gilgit and Sost. Passenger road service between Tashkurgan and Sost also exists. Road service between Kashgar and Gilgit (via Tashkurgan and Sost) started in summer 2006. However, the border crossing between China and Pakistan at Khunjerab Pass (the highest border of the world) is open only between April 1 and November 30. Under the protocol agreement signed by Pakistan and Chinese authorities, the border is usually closed on Nov 30 and reopened on April 1 every year.