About

Kohat

       Kohat was declared a separate division in 1976. Initially, it was a district of Peshawar. The districts of Kohat are Karak and Hangu. Kohat is about 2,000 feet above sea level. Temperatures in summer touch 48 degrees Celsius. Dust storms are frequent and the coolest place is Samana hill station which is 6,600 feet above sea level. The constituencies of Kohat in the provincial assembly of N.W.F.P are given below:

P.F-37

P.F-38

P.F-39

There are hills and mountains in and around the city with springs flowing in them. Kohat houses many tombs of Sufis. There are shopping malls, bazaars, an I.T University, a Medical College, Tanda Dam, Gandiali Dam, a radio station, a railway station, the P.A.F base, the cantonment area, textile mills, a police training college and the I.S.S.B Kohat, Hospitals, besides a cement factory, a polytechnic institute post graduate colleges for boys and girls, Kohat cadet college, a garrison cadet college and many banks. The oldest bazaar is the Main Bazaar Kohat situated between the King gate and the Tehsil gate.

Kohat is connected to Rawalpindi/Islamabad via railway line and to Tall on the way to Hangu Sarai tough, Naryab and Kai Dwoaba through a narrow railway line, which was built in the British era, since has been disconnected.

Indus Highway passes through the city. Two kilometres long Kohat Highway Tunnel has been built between Kohat and Peshawar on Indus highway. Main crops are wheat, maize, pearl millet (bajra), and peanut. The main grain markets are Galla Mandi and Terah Bazaar. The ancient profession of the people was farming. Now most people joined armed forces, education and police departments. Pashto and Hindko are the main languages spoken in Kohat. The people of Kohat are religious and brave, and observe strict Pardah.

Guava, lokat, bair (fruit), pomegranate, persimmons (amlok) and gurgura are found in abundance in Kohat.Famous trees of Kohat are mulberry, shisham, palosa and Chinar.

Former Justice M.R Kiyani of Kohat wrote the following lines in Hindko language to describe natural beauty of Kohat:

“Thadda Thadda Parie’n”

“Nikka Nikka Atta”

“Armanay Kohata”


Mosques

New Tableeghi Masjid, Ilyasi Masjid, Masjid Ghamkol Sharif, Masjid Hajji Bahadur, Masjid Pir Baba Kabli, Masjid Shakardhand, Masjid Bibi Pakdaman, Karez Masjid, Makki Masjid, Lambi Bri Masjid, Azmat Ali Khan Masjid, Masjid Qazian, Masjid Parachgan, Masjid Kutwali, Masjid Noor, Masjid Thandi Khi, Masjid Umar Farooq, Masjid Shuhada, Masjid Abdullah Bin Masood, Masjid Ahl-e-Heidth, Mian Noor Masjid and Chhina’n Wali Masjid.


Tribes, castes

The following are the main tribes and sects of the people living in Kohat:
Kiyani, Raja, Bangash, Khattak, Mia’n, Paracha, Sayyed, Afridi, Orakzai, Malik, Shinwari, Mansoorkhel, Pir Khel, Gillani, Banoori, Awan, Shiekhan, Niazi, Naqvi, Behzadi, Izzatkhel, Durrani and Qureshi.

Khattak

Khattak or Khatak refers to a tribe of the Pashtun. The Khattak tribe's homeland is located in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan and the tribe stretches along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sher Garh near Malakand to South through the district of Karak.
Along with Sayyed Gillani, Sayyed Pir khail Bukhari Afridi

Bangash

Bangash is the name of a Pashtun tribe. The Bangash tribe inhabit Kurram Agency, FATA, Miranzai Valley bordering the Samana Range, Tirah, Kohat and Peshawar of Sarhad province. Some Bangashes also inhabit India, most notable of who were the Nawabs of Farrukhabad; where they established their own.
Live in Usterzai Payan and adjacent villages like Chiker Kot Bala, Ali Zo, Khadi Zai, Sher Kot, Usterzai Bala, Khwaja, Khizar, Jauzara, Raisan, Lodikhel, Imbrhamzi, and Kachai. All Shia territory is green and has got many springs and beautiful gardens. Chali Bagh, Jauzara, and Kachai (Katsi) are famous for their natural springs. People come here in summer days from far places.

Afridi

Afridi, classically called the Abaƶrteans, is the name of a Pashtun tri

Orakzai

Orakzai is a Pashtun tribe settled in the Orakzai Agency of Pakistan. It consists of eighteen clans. Most of the members are situated in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan.

Awan

Awan and Awans may refer to:*the Awan dynasty, an Elamite dynasty of Iran*Awan, a South Asian tribe*Awan *Awan languages, spoken in South America*The Awan is a group of snakes who appear as falling stars in Balinese mythology.

Shinwari

The Shinwari are an ethnic Pashtun tribe of western Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan. In Pakistan, this influential tribe is active in trade, commerce, poetry, administrators and politicians within the Pakistani government; the majority are based in the Landi Kotal region of the federally.

Naqvi

People with the last name Naqvi are the direct descendants of Prophet Muhammad through the lineage of the Tenth Shia Imam, Imam Ali al-Hadi, also known as Imam Ali al-Naqi.

Raja

Raja is the Hindustani term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya Varna

Kiani

Kiani is a supporting character of Fathom, a comic book series created by Michael Turner.-Early years: Kiani’s childhood was largely defined by her parents' death during the destruction of Marielle, an underwater city of the Blue. At a young age, she was taken as an apprentice by the enigmatic Casque

Niazi

Niazi is a Pashtun tribe, a group of the Ghilzai Pashtuns of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The word Niazi is derived from the word Niazai like the other forms of Pashtun tribes, such as Yusafzai and Orakzai.
Which form the part of the population of the district. A good number of Muhajirs

Muhajir

Muhajir is a term used by and for those people of Pakistan who as native Urdu speaking Muslims of British India migrated to Pakistan following independence.

Bihari

The Biharis are an ethnic group originating from the state of Bihar in India with a history going back three millennia. Biharis speak Bihari languages such as Magahi, Bhojpuri, and Maithili, amongst other local dialects, as well as Hindi or Urdu.
Other tribes are Zarghun Khel, Akhurwal, Sheraki, Toor Chappar, Durukash and Bosti Khel. Pashto is the predominant language while Hindku is mostly spoken and understood in Kohat city and adjacent areas.

Religion

The population of Kohat district is Muslim
Muslim
: A Muslim is an adherent of the religion of Islam. The feminine form is Muslimah. Literally, the word means "one who submits ". Muslim is the participle of the same verb of which Islam is the infinitive. Muslims believe that there is only one God, translated in Arabic as Allah.
the Sunni predominate and there is also a large Shias population settled in the district and they stretch from Chikarkot Bala, Sherkot to Kachai (i.e. southern border of Kohat). Usterzai Payan is the largest village of Shia. It is an educated and civilized village. It is also popular because of Al-Asar College.Al-Asr College is run by an NGO.Shia Bangash

Christian

A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God. The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to.
Families, which settled during the British colonial rule, most of whom are employees of Municipal Committee, Cantonment Board and defence services, also reside in Kohat city and Cantonment area. Some scattered families of Hindu

Hindu

A Hindu is an adherent of Hinduism, a set of religious, philosophical and cultural systems that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The vast body of Hindu scriptures, divided into Sruti and Smriti, lay the foundation of Hindu beliefs which primarily include dharma, karma, ahimsa.
Also reside in Kohat, Kachai and Marai while a good numbers of Balmiks are employed in various local bodies. These sects are enjoying full religious freedom. People of Kohat are moderate and open minded and open hearted.
Besides the people of the aforementioned tribes and castes, the communities of Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Afghan refuges, Bihari and Balmeek also reside in Kohat.
Hindus live in the villages of Kachai and Marai, while Sikhs reside in Terah (Orakzai Agency) towards Hangu. Their language is Pashto.

Dress

The people of Kohat wear loose shalwar qamiz, Kohati chaple, and a round white cap in summer. In winter, they wear Chitrali cap and waistcoat in the city and keep woollen shawl on shoulders. Their favourite transport is bicycle and motorcycle.

Mohallas

The famous Mohallas in the city are:

Mohalla Rangarh, Mohalla Niazi, Mohalla Miankhel, Mohalla Waizan, Mohalla Mian Badshah, Mohalla Pir Abdullah Shah, Mohalla Sikhandar Khan Shaheed, Mohalla Barkatullah, Mohalla Shahzadgan, Mohalla Parachgan, Mohalla Shinnokhel, Mohalla Sangair, Mohalla Banoorian, Mohalla Juma khan, Hindu Mohalla, Mohallah shinwari, Gari Atta Khan, Gari Dhodawal, Garden Colony, Kucha Qasaban, Kucha Mustafa, Kucha Bibi Pak Daman, Kucha Himam and Kucha Tailyan.

Villages

Jungle khel, Muhammadzai, Chakarkot, Raisan, Ustarzai, Toghbala, Toghpayan, Ibrahimzai, Alizai, Sherkot, Nasratkhail, Tanda Banda, Shahpur, Surgull, Qamrdhand, Jabbar, Boraka, Tapi, Jarma, Dheri, Meri, Gaddakhel, Behzadi Chikkarkot, Bhawalnagar, Nakband, Razgeer Banda, Mir Ahmadkhel, Shiekhan, Latambar, Kamalkhel, Toor Chappar, Chamba, Makori, Kalu Chinna, Happy Vally, Dhoda, Shadikhel, Bhadarkot, Togh, Shiekhan, Kharmatu, ShakarDhand, Manduri, Babri Banada, Billitong, Gumbat, Chourlakki, Karbogha, Khushal Garh, Gandiali and Shakardara.

Kohat Tunnel

Kohat Tunnel is situated between Kohat city and Darra Adam Khel. It was built by N.H.A and also called the friendship tunnel between Pakistan and Japan. It is two kilometres long on the Indus Highway. This tunnel reduces distance and a dangerous hilly route.

Others places

  • Fort
  • The municipal corporation (Town Hall)
  • Kohat Cement Factory
  • P.A.F Airbase
  • Signal Training Centre
  • Textile Mills
  • Railway Station
  • Tanda Dam
  • Gandiali Dam
  • Police Collage
  • Police Line
  • Liaquat Hospital
  • Headquarter Hospital KDA
  • Zanana hospital
  • C.M.H
  • Radio Station
  • Banks
  • New Bus stand (New Larri Adda)
  • Post Office
  • Fuji Foundation Hospital
  • Eid Gah
  • Wildlife
  • Bulteer
  • Wolves
  • Urial
  • Hares
  • Black partridge
  • Grey partridge
  • Chakor
  • Sisi
  • Quail
  • Blue pigeon
  • Deer
  • Mines
  • There are mines of salt, oil wells and uranium reserves in Kohat District.
  • Salt mines are in Bhadarkhel, Jatta Ismailkhel and oil wells in Shakardara and uranium mines are in Karak

Water

Kohat District is rich in water found in the form of springs and wells. The water here is clean, hygienic and tastes sweet. Springs are mostly found in Pangpeer, Junglekhel, Bona Baba, Jouzara and in many other different areas, which are all sightseeing. Anther main source of water is wells. In some places in Kohat, water is available at the dept of five feet. Wells have been dug in most of the houses. Kohat canal (Kohat toi), which enters from the Hangu district and passes through different areas of the city, falls on the River Indus. Kohat toi is the main source of water and its length is about 85 miles.


Sightseeing in the city

  • Tanda
  • Jouzara
  • Bona sharif
  • Kacha, Marai
  • Challi Bagh
  • Dhoda Park
  • Lakkara
  • Samana Hill Station
  • Adh Samoot
  • Junglekhel Chashmas
  • Khushal Garh Riverside
  • Company Bagh
  • Kohat tunnel


Roads 

Indus Highway Indus highway, from Peshawar, passes through Kohat and leads to Bannu, D.I.Khan, Karachi and other parts of the country.

Kohat pass road

In 1849-50, Colonel Lawrence commenced to make a good road through the pass, but in 1850 the Bazotis showed their disapprobation by cutting up a working party of Sappers. On this there was a military expedition from Peshawar under Sir Colin Campbell. The Commander-in-Chief Sir Charles Napier himself accompanied the column, which marched through the pass, destroying the villages on the way, and reached Kohat on 12th February. The 1st Punjab Infantry under Captain Coke and some other troop were now left at Kohat, while the remainder of the force marched back through the pass to Peshawar, not without some opposition on the part of the Afridis.

Peshawar road

Kohat Hangu road goes to Hangu, Tall and Parachinar (Kurram agency)


Kohat Dhodaroad

Kohat Shakardara road

Kohat Khushal Garh road goes to Rawalpindi/Islamabad

Villages on the roadside of Kohat to Rawalpindi

Muhammad nagar, College town, Hayat Shaheed town, Mehmood town, Muslim town, Kamal town, Baland town, Togh payan, babri banda, razgeer banda, Billi tong, Azim bagh, Ghulam abad, Ghazi abad, gandiyali bala, Gumbbat, Gourozai, Choulakki, Khushal garh, malpur, Jhanda tali, Allabad, Jand, Langar shahrif, Choua sharif, Rangli, Pind Sultani, Dhoke Jhamran, Dhoke Sahib Khan, Dhoke Amir Khan Shaheed, Tahli, Bajwal, Khunda, Sab jhal, Dhoke moula sadiq, Phagg, Sher Jang, Achral, Kot fteh khan, Gagan, Galyal, Jafar, Fateh Jang, Dhoke Itbar, New Islamabad international air port, Burj, Kharala khurd, Dhoke malal, Ghari hassu khan, Hattar, Prime nagar faqiran, Nougazzi, Dhoke hamidan, Turnol.


Transport

Airport

Fokker flight was run in 1990, but unfortunately was withdrawn. The airport was on the Bannu road Kohat near phatuk.

Railway line

Rawalpindi Railway line

Railway station Kohat is in cant area near Bannu Phatuk and was built in the British era. There are two railway lines one leads to Rawalpindi/Islamabad and other narrow line to Hangu Tall Duwaba.
Railcar and Passenger train is run in between Kohat and Rawalpindi/Islamabad.
station fall on the way, Kohat, cadet collage, Babri banda, Billitong, Gumbat,Jand, Choura sharif, Pind sultani, Basal, Langar, Gagan, Jafar, Fatehjang, Qutbal, Turnol, Golra sharif, and Rawalpindi
Passenger train to Hangu, Tall was discontinued.

Luxury buses

Luxury buses run between Kohat and Karachi frequently on Indus Highway, road traffic of Peshawar and Karachi run through the area.

Hiace Toyota

Hiace Toyota runs between,
Kohat and Peshawar
Kohat and Rawalpindi
Kohat and Hangu
Kohat and Bannu, D.I.Khan

In local transport Datsuns are used in hilly areas like Lachi, Kachai and Terah and Suzuki and auto Rickshaws are used in the city and round about.

Main transport stands are,

Larry adda located near Town hall (stand of Peshawar,
Hangu and Adam khail)

New Larry adda located on Bannu road (stand of Islamabad,
Rawalpindi, Bannu)

Saifullah market In Terah Bazar (stand of Karachi)

Near National bank Outside King gate (Local Suzuki
Stand)

Opposite G.H.S .NO.2 Near Subzi Mandi (stand of Kachai,
Marai and Terah)

Near Political Outside Charsi gate (stand of Lachi
And Karak)
Phatuk On Bannu road (stand of Rawalpindi
Islamabad)
Tunnel chowk On Rawalpindi road (stand of Bannu,
D.I.Khan Karachi)



Old gates of the city


In very old time the city was among the gates (darwazas) these gates which were closed after evening and the peoples were secured from dacoit and theft. These gates were,

  • King gate
  • Tehsil gate
  • Charsi gate
  • Jungle khel gate
  • Hindu mohallah gate
  • Parachgan gate
  • Pir Abdullah shah gate
  • Shino khel gate
  • Jar Wanda gate
  • Mian khel gate
  • Cant Gate


Historical Names

There are some places which are very famous among the peoples of Kohat in the local Hindko language, what so ever the nature and location, but every Kohati knows about the spot.

  • Political
  • Pathuk
  • Lambi berri
  • Gullu bera
  • Jhandi station
  • Baruf khana
  • Thaddi wah wali ziarut
  • Raigee
  • Jarwanda
  • Deri fam
  • Thaddi seruk
  • Kata kanri’n
  • Hangu phatuk
  • Shimla pahari
  • Rakki ground
  • Mangul bibi
  • Changla peer
  • Addional
  • Wadda jabba
  • Collage
  • Company bagh
  • Bijli ghar
  • Butchery
  • Machi market
  • Gernally seruk