This documentary is the untold story of the Karakoram Highway, which links Pakistan and China by land, across the Himalayas. It's the highest paved highway anywhere on Earth, that's why it's sometimes called the 8th wonder of the world. So this is the story of building a highway, 16,000 feet above sea level, and in temperatures which often go below -20°C (-4°F)... Video is 47 minutes long, it's produced by ISPR, (inter services public relations) - Which is a department of Pakistan military. That often showcases such achievements in documentaries, which are shown in schools and collages across the country. This video below shows what it's like driving in northern Pakistan.
The first documentary was hard to watch. So much suffering. What a shame so many lives lost during unspeakable circumstances and heroic accomplishments. The second snow driving in N. Pakistan takes me back to similar roads in the Colorado Rockies in the 60’s. Except the one lane roads was packed with snow going up the mountain on one side and the other side was a cliff straight down the mountain side. If another vehicle was coming the opposite direction it was a scary tricky maneuver to pass , sometimes backing up until a wider section was discovered enough to pass. I was just a child at the time and will never forget that trip.
It was something which needed to be constructed at any cost. As we were (and still are) always engaged in war at some level with India. Either diplomatically, or full fledged armed conflict. So we badly needed a road link with China, as air lifting supplies during a war wasn't adequate. And no civilian contracters could pull it off. It was impossible. Only the military (of both Pakistan and China) achieved this almost impossible task - All the while battling fatal altitude sickness, landslides, and frostbite. However today, 40+ years later, because of the dedication and unselfish sacrifices of the Army Corps of Engineers, FWO, (Frontier Works Organization) - Now I can drive all the way to Shanghai or Beijing from Karachi. And that too any time of the year. Translation of the song lyrics above: We are what mobilizes the entire military, We have the knowledge and skills to do so, We are the ones who irrigate deserts, No river can block our path, For we ourselves are like a raging river, We ourselves are an unstoppable tempest, We cut through mountains & divert calamities, With every step we give a selfless sacrifice, Giving every turn on the road an unforgettable story of valour. Now tourists from all over the world come to visit the border of Pakistan and China. As during peacetime this highway is used for bilateral trade between both countries.
I can't watch a lot of youtube, but thanks for the interesting information. If I was 30 years old, rich, and free to do anything I wanted, I think it would be interesting to visit. Amazing views. https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/...ighway-the-road-thats-the-eighth-world-wonder I have seen the Himalayas from the other side, and far away from there. About 12 years ago, I visited Mt. Emei in Sichuan Province. At least, I think that was the Himalayas. They were impressive mountains. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Emei
This is another documentary, (in 3 parts), but from the Chinese point of view. When it came to rebuilding the Karakoram highway, after earthquake in northern Pakistan had destroyed many sections of it. It was not just a question of rebuilding it, as that Pakistani engineers could have also done - The real issue was widening and modernizing of this highway. Because now Chinese need it more then we do, (since this is the only land link between the 2 countries). Reason is that China will eventually retake Taiwan, as they see it as a renegade provence. But they can't do it yet, because it'll only take one aircraft carrier of any other country in support of Taiwan - Just needs to park itself between the Malacca Strait. Effectively blockade all the energy supply to China from the Middle East. As a result of which, all of China will come to a sudden grinding holt. That's why China now needs this highway more than ever before. As this grants them access to the Pakistani warm water deep sea ports. Which are just a stone throw away distance from the oil rich Middle East. Otherwise an ocean oil tanker takes about 40+ days to reach mainland China on the Pacific Ocean side. While if they started using our Pakistani deep sea ports of Karachi and Gwadar - An oil tanker from the Persian Gulf will only take a little over a day to reach Pakistan. That's the Chinese One Belt One Road Initiative, which we call CPEC, (China Pakistan Economic Corridor). This is also why massive oil pipelines with new refineries are also being built at our coastline. As well as new railway tracks being layed too - All of which will go straight across Pakistan, from the southern most part where I am, all the way up to this highway at the roof of the world. Ultimately going straight into China. And from China, all their exports too will pass from here, drastically cutting short the time for Chinese goods to reach the Middle East, all of Africa, and Europe. This is why there was so much recent political turmoil in Pakistan, regarding the illegal removal of a very popular yet China favoring government, (which got replaced by a most unpopular regime) - All designed by external forces, just to destabilize CPEC... It won't work though, which the entire world too will soon find out. As matters within my country are already in a phase of self-correction. So this is literally unstoppable. As too much is at stake, way too much. And it all boils down to this highway, snaking through some of the tallest mountains in the world, in the Himalayas, the Karakoram, and the Hindukush mountain ranges.
