Rawalpindi: More than 300 British army soldiers and officers killed in World War I and World War II are buried at the Rawalpindi War Cemetery in Gora Qabristan, nestled between the Combined Military Hospital and other military installations in Saddar.

Though the graveyard, which caters to the Christian community and is associated with the colonial rule, the oldest grave in the cemetery is 200 years old. It has two parts: one is the war memorial, and the other is for the general public. The oldest grave did not specify who was buried there, but only the date of death, Jan 25, 1816, was mentioned on the epitaph instead. This may mean that the space was dedicated for the non-Muslims during the Sikh rule, decades before Punjab was colonised. After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Punjab fell to the British forces, and Rawalpindi was captured in 1851. Subsequently, the British army established its northern headquarters to look after the North West Frontier, and Rawalpindi became the largest cantonment town of the empire.

“Rawalpindi War Cemetery contains 257 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, connected mainly with the operations on the North-West Frontier. There are also 101 burials from the Second World War,” read the Commonwealth War Grave Commission’s website. This commission maintains the Rawalpindi War Cemetery, which has 358 graves of fallen soldiers of the empire. The commission’s website stated that its cemeteries, burial plots, and memorials were a lasting tribute to those who died in some 153 countries across the world.

British royal family members, the late Queen Elizabeth II and Princess of Wales Lady Diana, had also visited this cemetery. The late queen had visited Rawalpindi War Cemetery in 1997 during the second tenure of Nawaz Sharif to mark the 50th year of independence, while Lady Diana visited the site in the early 90s.

Besides the war cemetery, many notable Christian personalities of the colonial and post-colonial era are buried in the other part of the graveyard. Among them is the Bishop of Calcutta, Robert Milman, who died in 1876 in Rawalpindi.

Madam Azurie, a famous classical dancer of the subcontinent’s film industry, is also resting in the Gora Qabaristan. She died in 1998. She was a classical dancer and actress in British India and later Pakistan and starred in many Indian, Pakistani, and Bengali films. She was also invited to Buckingham Palace for a dance performance.

After the British exited India, the cemetery was handed over to the Rawalpindi churches by the colonial administrators. At the time, the graveyard was divided into six blocks: one reserved for the Roman Catholic Church, the second for the Church of England, the third for Roman Catholic children, the fourth and fifth plots for other churches, and the sixth plot was reserved for war affectees.

In stark contrast to its past, the cemetery presents a picture of neglect, except for the war cemetery, which is properly maintained. Neatly trimmed grass, flowers, plants, and well-maintained tombstones make it look like a garden, but the other part is in shambles.

Weeds and bushes have covered the area, which shows the lack of interest by the cemetery administration. Though the graveyard is well planned, it needs the attention of the Chaklala Cantonment Board to preserve the history of the past.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2025