Islamabad (PTI): A young filmmaker has launched a project to document the memories of Pakistanis who witnessed the trials and tribulations of the partition of India in 1947.

The "Oral History Project" by Pakistan's non-resident filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is trying to preserve the stories of ordinary Pakistanis who lived through the pain of partition.

Chinoy's Citizens Archive of Pakistan has hired summer interns to meet the older generations and preserve their stories for posterity. The interns will also be collecting photographs, visuals and other material about partition.

"If you know of a friend, family member or someone in your community who travelled from India to Pakistan in 1947, please send us their name and information," reads a post on Citizens Archive of Pakistan's website.

"By conducting and collecting oral histories and photographs their stories are recorded, preserved and made accessible for generations of Pakistanis to come. As with all historical records, oral histories provide important information on incidents from the past," a note on the website reads.

Twenty-two students from Karachi's elite schools - Indus Valley School of Art, The Lyceum and Karachi Grammar School have been hired by the Citizens Archive of Pakistan to collect and record the memories of those who lived through partition.

The interns will interview and photograph citizens who crossed the border.

"It is very important to find people who have lived through partition and record their version of history. Pakistan is more than 60 years old so these individuals should be older; if they die a part of history will die with them," Chinoy told the Daily Times.