A Gallant Guard on Karakoram

By Ye Sicong

The Pamirs sits at a junction with the rolling mountains of Kunlun, Karakoram, Hindu Kush and Tian Shan. Awash with glaciers and ravines, the chilly and oxygen-deficient highland was looked upon as the"snowfield of death" along the ancient Silk Road and is a"forbidden zone of life" in the eyes of modern biologists.However, the snow-clad highland is home to the world's highest border gateway. 5,100 meters above sea level, the gateway stands in snow and ice, witnessing one generation of guards after another garrisoning the Khunjerab Pass,who risk their lives to patrol the border day and night,leaving many touching yet untold stories.

Zhang Lei is one of those guards. As head of the second squad at the Khunjerab Station of Xinjiang Entry-Exit Frontier Inspection Station, he bears a suntanned face and bright smile. Before the transfer to his current post, he was a senior armed policeman at the Khunjerab branch. Rooted in the snowy land for eighteen years,he has grown into a"veteran." From a border armed policeman to an immigration administration officer, from a soldier to the head of the squad, he has dedicated his youthful days to the great calling of the Pamirs. For his outstanding performance and remarkable achievements,he was honored with several medals of merit, and in May 2022, he was crowned with the title of the National Superb Excellent Policemen.

Trudging through the"Forbidden Zone of Life"

The depth of winter leaves the Pamirs ice-bound as far as the eye can see. At the tender age of 18, Zhang Lei left his hometown in Shaanxi Province, full of zeal, to head across the snow-shrouded plateau for the Khunjerab Pass.The journey from Kashgar to the Pass left an indelible mark on his mind. The vehicle he rode jolted and rattled on a bumpy gravel road, which was steep and narrow with chiseled mountains on one side and steer cliffs on the other.The vehicle passed by, throwing up clouds of dust behind,while a blizzard raged ahead. The mountainous road was only 298 kilometers long but took a full day for the vehicle to cross. Arriving finally in the Khunjerab Pass, his tough yet self-fulfilling time of patrolling the border began.

"Looking at each other in daytime and staring at the stars at night" was a true picture of the dull life that the border guards had led before. In this region, tough geography and climate pose severe challenges to human survival. On duty, Zhang Lei had to undergo unimaginable hardships, braving the biting gale to traverse the snowcapped mountains and patrol the border inch by inch on toughened feet. Repeating this simple but significant task,he has patrolled the border at an altitude of 5,100 meters for eighteen years.

Harsh weather and living conditions never frustrated him, but altitude sickness posed a dreadful threat to his health. Long-term exposure to the chilly and low-oxygen environment made him fall ill with rheumatism, and even a tiny weather change would cause acute pains. This,however, did not deter Zheng Lai; instead, he grew more toughened and determined. Throwing aside the freezing cold, lingering loneliness, and haunting illness, he stood steadfastly on duty for every patrol. It is his devotion to duty that brought many unwelcome sunburnt spots onto his youthful face. The glaring sunlight and raging snow gale weathered his face.

Safeguarding the Highland Gateway

As the only overland route between China and Pakistan, the Khunjerab Pass is located in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County bordering the Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

Confronted with severe cold and oxygen deficiency in the high-altitude region, the border policemen have to stand up to mental and physical tests. The tough environment has never discouraged Zhang Lei; instead, his strong will motivated him to work in the front line of the patrol with assiduity.

In a freezing winter, his fingers became firmly stuck to the steel plate of the vehicle when he was conducting a routine inspection. Despite the pains, he managed to pull his fingers offthe plate and stayed on task after a simple wound dressing.

Unique geographic conditions in the frontier region further complicate the efforts to combat smuggling,illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and other crossborder crimes. The squad led by Zhang Lei is tasked with controlling and inspecting the people, vehicles and goods between China and Pakistan. Therefore, they need to further sharpen their "detective eyes" in the process of daily inspection.

In September 2008, Zhang Lei and his comrades seized 14 packs of high-purity heroin produced in the"Golden Crescent", which were hidden inside the rear air-conditioner pipe of an inbound coach from Pakistan.With a weight of 17,390 grams, the heroin seized set the new record for the single drug bust by the border inspection station in Xinjiang.

During the past 18 years as a border guard to patrol the land of snow and ice, Zhang Lei got involved in over 1,000 raids, fulfilling many brutal and pressing tasks, such as the successful crackdown on terrorists in Xinjiang on December 25, 2006 and border security protection during the Beijing Olympics.

Assuming Greater Responsibility in the New Post

"Feats testify only to past efforts; we must look ahead to live up to new roles," Zhang Lei reiterated every now and then. In 2018, when the frontier security forces were restructured, Zhang Lei could have left the force with over 1.3 million yuan of severance pay. But he chose to stay, as he could not tear himself away from the Pamirs, the land that he stepped onto at the age of 18 and where he shed tears and sweat.

However, role transition never comes easily,especially for Zhang Lei who has turned 36. Years of highland life has blunted his memory, which, coupled with his limited knowledge on border inspection, made it quite difficult for him to adapt himself to the new post. To break through these barriers, he took much greater pains than his colleagues. He leveraged breaks in daytime and rest time at night to study inspection affairs, legal knowledge, and practical English. Years of arduous efforts paid off, and Zhang Lei has become a"top gun" at the border inspection station.

In line with anti-COVID policy, the Khunjerab Pass has been staying open amid the pandemic by applying the method of "passengers prohibited, goods allowed and vehicles swapped" to customs clearance. After the Pass re-opened in early 2022, Zhang Lei volunteered to go to the Pass. Every time he arrives at the site, he immediately puts on his protective suit and throws himself into work,guiding the traffic, logging customs clearance times,monitoring vehicle disinfection, and ensuring orderly departure of vehicles.

As of June 15, 2022, Zhang Lei and his comrades have secured the export of 2,000 tons of goods from Kashgar to Pakistan, including daily necessities, cloth and fabric, walnuts, and auto components, worth 14 million yuan.

The deep blue Taxkorgan River, lofty Muztagh Ata, imposing China-Pakistan Gate, commanding No. 7 Boundary Marker – all these landmarks have witnessed how Zhang Lei has dedicated himself to his beloved land.Over a span of 18 years, everything has evolved, from working conditions to comrades to duties, but Zhang's initial aspiration has never been swayed. Taking off the olive-green uniform and putting on a navy blue one, he still stays true to his commitment to guarding the solemn gateway and defending his motherland in the"forbidden zone of life". It is this firm commitment that turns his ordinary life extraordinary.