Pindi's historic graveyards face neglect

The 52 historic graveyards of Rawalpindi, a city with an ancient heritage, are not only running out of burial space but also preserving an enduring record of its history.

These cemeteries contain the graves of influential personalities who once wielded considerable power, while their old tombstones offer glimpses into the city's past.

The history of Rawalpindi's graveyards stretches back around 500 years. An old grave dating back to 1650, belonging to Kashmiri prince Abdul Sattar, is located in the Talian Shahaan graveyard near Committee Chowk.

The Eidgah graveyard houses the approximately 200-year-old grave of Sheikh Habibullah, a prominent notable of Amritsar, India.

At Dhoke Ratta graveyard, a grave belonging to a woman, Bakht Bibi, bears the date July 3, 1833. The cemetery is also the final resting place of the mother of film star Sultan Rahi, cricketer Mian Bakhsh and prominent city figure Lala Syed Mir.

The Christian cemetery on Harley Street, commonly known as the Gora Cemetery, contains the grave of the late Bishop of Calcutta, Robert Millman, with a tombstone dating back to 1876. Established in the early 1800s, the historic cemetery has also been visited by Queen Elizabeth and Lady Diana.

The cemetery contains the graves of 357 soldiers who died in the First and Second World Wars. Lady Diana visited the Gora Cemetery during her trip to Pakistan in 1997 for the country's Golden Jubilee celebrations.

The Parsi cemetery on Murree Road is around 180 years old. Meanwhile, the 350-year-old Hindu cremation ground, known as Nishan Ghat, was removed from Pirodhai around 30 years ago.

A new site was subsequently established outside the city, near the medical university.

The modern graveyard at Dhoke Illahi Bakhsh, which is around 169 years old, contains the grave of the wife of a nephew of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi who had converted to Islam. It also contains the graves of 11 members of a family who were killed during the Hathora Group incidents in General Ziaul Haq's era.

The history of the Army Cemetery in Westridge spans more than a century. It is the final resting place of former army chiefs and Syed Sharafuddin, father of former president General Pervez Musharraf.

Other graveyards dating back 200 to 300 years include those at Talian Shahaan, Dhoke Ratta, Dhoke Khabba, Dhoke Illahi Bakhsh, Eidgah, Gora Cemetery, Jhanda Chichi, the Army Cemetery, the Air Force Cemetery, Morgah and Shah Pyara.

However, the graveyards are now filled with graves and face numerous problems, including widespread encroachments, a lack of streetlights and bushes growing three to five feet high. Rainwater accumulates at several places, while the overgrowth provides shelter for snakes and mongooses.

Gambling, alcohol consumption and drug sales are reportedly widespread in the graveyards. Drug use and street robberies have also become common. Activities involving fake spiritual healers, rituals and black magic are reportedly taking place at the sites. The graveyards have also become crime hotspots and are contributing to the spread of dengue, residents say.