'Where Men & Mountains Meet' documents historic construction of Karakoram Highway

To honour and recall the historical predicament, a documentary film Where Men and Mountains Meet has been produced by ISPR in association with Delirium Productions and FWO to showcase the construction and completion of the project. The documentary is a testament to unprecedented sacrifices by FWO in particular and the Pakistani nation in general. 

According to a press release, the film will showcase Karakorum Highway (KKH), a mammoth project of 1300 km, which is often regarded as the 8th wonder of the world. KKH is an emblem of Pak-China friendship also known as the "Friendship Highway". The premiere was arranged on 27 Dec 2021 at The Arena, Bahria Town, Ph-IV RWP where maximum media platforms were invited. The documentary is a testament to numerous sacrifices (813 individuals have embraced martyrdom including 567 military and 246 civilians) for seeing the construction of Highway possible. 

About Karakoram Highway:

The Karakoram Highway, also known as National Highway 35 is a 1,300 km (810 mi) national highway that extends from Hasan Abdal in the Punjab province of Pakistan to the Khunjerab Pass in Gilgit-Baltistan, where it crosses into China and becomes China National Highway 314.

It was started in 1959 and was completed and opened to the public in 1979. On the Pakistani side, the road was constructed by FWO (Frontier Works Organisation), employing the Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers. Karakoram Highway provides the pathway to expeditions for almost all peaks in Gilgit–Baltistan, Kashmir and several peaks in Xinjiang China. The region includes some of the world's largest glaciers like the Baltoro and Siachen Glaciers.

This herculean task has witnessed numerous sacrifices so much so that a famous proverb “A life lost every kilometer of the road” came into being. 567 Military troops (including 11 Officers) and 246 Civilians lost their lives and more than 980 individuals injured mostly in landslides and falls while building the highway.

1. Lieutenant General (Retired) Javed Nasir, HI (M), SBt 101 Engineers Battalion 1966-1969
2. Major General (Retired) Sabih Ud Din Bukhari, SI, HI (M) 173 Engineers Battalion Oct 1970 - Oct 1971
3. Mustansar Hussain Tarrar, Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Pride of Performance Writer, Author
4. Major General (Retired) Muhamad Afsar GSO-III, 491 Road Construction Group 1966-1968
5. Brigadier (Retired) Iqbal Ahmed, SI (M) 107 Engineers Battalion 1967-1969
6.Brigadier (Retired) Mumtaz Khalid Author of “History of Kakakoram Highway” July 1969-Oct 1969
7. Brigadier (Retired) Muhammad Arbi Khan, SI (M) 104 Engineers Battalion, Bridge Construction Group 1970-1972
8. Colonel (Retired) Tanveer Ahmed 105 Engineers Battalion 1967-1969
9. Colonel (Retired) Sajid Bashir Sheikh 108 Engineers Battalion 1969-1971
10. Major (Retired) Shahid Attaullah 11 ECB 
11. Naib Subedar (Retired) Manzoor Hussain 108 Engineers Battalion 1969-1971

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