Chinese delegation pays tribute to martyrs of KKH

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 17 (Gwadar Pro) -A 41-member Chinese delegation visited China Yadgar to commemorate the dedication and valor of those who lost their lives during the construction of Karakorum Highway (KKH) from 1959 to 1979.

The visit hosted by the All-Pakistan Chinese Enterprise Association (APCEA) included 15 engineers and workers who physically participated in the construction of the KKH. 

At a press conference here on Wednesday, the members of the delegation expressed their delight on the ongoing development works in Pakistan under the rubric of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

They said that they had visited the cemetery in Gilgit where the martyrs of the Karakoram Highway were buried and that they were very delighted to see that the graves of the Chinese martyrs were kept clean and in order. And they were very glad to see that the lives lost during the construction of the Karakoram Highway were not in vain and that the highway proved to be a vital link between the peoples of China and Pakistan.

Besides, all the members expressed their heartfelt appreciation on the welcome that they were accorded in Gilgit by the office of the Chief Minister. And they felt like coming back home after 40 years and they found Pakistan has become more hospitable and friendlier than before.

The delegation presented a book to the media which recounted the stories of all the workers who had taken part in the construction of the highway. The book records interviews of the workers who came to Pakistan back in the day and worked shoulder to shoulder with the Pakistani workers in the construction of the Highway.

About their greatest wish, it is the cooperation between two brotherly countries will be carried forward by the future generations. The Chinese people still cherish the memory of those who sacrificed their precious lives for the highway construction, and the Pakistani people also feel the same way.

“This is the reason,” the members noted, “that we will arrange a photo exhibition next year on the 45th anniversary of the completion of the Karakoram Highway, in which we can showcase the pictures of workers from that time who took part in building the highway.” For conclusion, they expressed that Chinese all-around cooperation with Pakistan will continue in future, conquering all difficulties.