Pakistani's story one of friendship to China
Thirty-two-year-old Manzoor Hussian has never been to China, but the country and its people have featured prominently in the lives of ordinary Pakistanis. It plays a part in his earliest memories.
Manzoor's father, Madad Hussian, worked as a volunteer keeper at a Chinese cemetery for 33 years, until his death in 2010.
"My father never met the Chinese people who are resting in the cemetery, but he shared a lot of stories about how they helped us to build roads in Pakistan. I think he respected all of those buried ones his whole life," said Manzoor, who was born and grew up nearby.
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, tens of thousands of Chinese workers and engineers were sent to Pakistan to help build the Karakoram Highway connecting Pakistan to China. Hundreds died during the construction, and 88 of those are buried in the cemetery near Manzoor's home.
His father helped build the cemetery in early 1970; afterward, he applied to be its keeper.
"I was told that those Chinese workers were very disciplined. They lived in tents, planted vegetables around their tents and cooked by themselves. They built roads for us, but never took advantage," Manzoor said.
Because of those stories, Manzoor decided to take over his father's responsibilities. He often takes the late shift, from 3 pm to 8 am the next morning. He has met some of the workers' families.
"When the family comes to visit the graves, they often ask me, 'Do you know how he or she died?' Of course, I wouldn't know those details since I was born after the cemetery was established. But I can feel the pain and sense of loss those Chinese families have over their loved ones. All I can do is to keep up the cemetery as well as possible to make sure they will want to visit again," he said.
Besides family members, many Chinese workers in Pakistan, and officials from both countries, often visit the cemetery, especially for Tomb Sweeping Day.
Local students also visit the cemetery to learn the history of friendship between China and Pakistan, Manzoor said.
When Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke in February at the inauguration of the Year of China-Pakistan Friendly Exchanges, the Hussian family's story came up.
"This touching story has become legendary," Wang said.