科哈特 二级行政中心

Kohat (Urdu and Hindko: کوہاٹ; Pashto: کوهاټ) is a city in Pakistan that serves as the headquarters of the Kohat District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. With a population of over 220,000 people, the city is the fourth most populous in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the 35th most populous in Pakistan. Kohat's immediate environs were the site of frequent armed skirmishes between British colonial forces and local tribesmen in the mid to late 19th century. The city is centred on a British-era fort, various bazaars, and a military cantonment. Pashto and the Kohati dialect of Hindko are the main languages spoken in Kohat.

The city of Kohat is also the namesake of and largest city in the Kohat Division, being over four times larger than the second-largest city in the division, Karak.

History

Early history

Little is known of Kohat's early history. According to local lore, Kohat was founded by an ancient Buddhist king by the name of Raja Kohat. Another Buddhist raja named Adh is believed to have established his domain on the north side of the city. Archaeological surveys have identified evidence of pre-Islamic settlement in the Kohat region. A fort, now in ruins, serves as a marker of their domain. The remains of this fort known as Adh-e-Samut is possibly named after Adh, the Buddhist raja. The fort is still fitted with weaponry from the Buddhist period. These Buddhist kings built roads, which were in use until the end of the Mughal rule.

A survey of Kohat and Hangu districts conducted in 2004 recorded several sites dating to the 1st–5th centuries CE. These sites include Masharano Kotay, a settlement associated with the Buddhist period measuring approximately 170 by 60 metres (560 by 200 ft), where silver coins have reportedly been found on the surface, and Khaza Ghunda, another Buddhist-period settlement with visible wall remains. The findings provide archaeological evidence of settled communities in the Kohat region during the pre-Islamic period.

According to local tradition they arrived here in the time of Daulat Khan son of Bai Khan. This would make their settlement contemporaneous with that of the Baizai Bangash which seems to have taken place previous to the time of Babar's invasion (A.D. 1505). Some believe, however, that they must have arrived before the settlement of Baizai.

The region had been primarily populated by Orakzai Pashtuns, who were then displaced from the West by the Bangash in the 14th–15th centuries, and Khattak from the south. The Kohat region was likely firmly dominated by Bangash tribesmen by the early late 15th century following a decisive battle at nearby Alizai, after which Bangash tribes settled in the fertile valleys and assimilated remaining indigenous inhabitants into the larger Bangash tribe, while Orakzai tribes were confined to the nearby hills.

The first historical record of the city comes from the Baburnama autobiography of Mughal emperor Babur. After capturing Peshawar, Babur was reportedly told of vast riches in Kohat. He invaded and plundered Kohat in 1505, only to discover the tales of its wealth were exaggerated. After capturing Kohat, Babur's army marched towards Bangash country, where he defeated a band of tribesmen.

Durrani period

During the Nader Shah's invasion of the Mughal Empire in the 1730s and 1740s, Kohat escaped destruction as Nader Shah's forces followed invasion routes north in the Peshawar Valley. Following the departure of Persian forces, Kohat was absorbed into the Durrani Empire by 1747.

British period

Following British victory over the Sikhs in 1848, Kohat came under British rule and was annexed in March 1849.

Geography

Topography

Kohat city is located at an altitude of 489 metres (1,604 ft). Kohat Pass lies to the north. It is situated on the left bank of the Toi river at a point where after running nearly due east for 50 miles (80 km), it turns to the south. The total area of the district is 2,545 square kilometres (983 sq mi)

Climate

Kohat has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh).

Dam

Kohat has a dam called Tanda Dam located on Tanda Lake, which is a protected site under the Ramsar Convention. Completed in 1967, it was included as a Ramsar site on 23 July 1976.

Parks

Tanda Wildlife Park

Tanda Wildlife Park is located near Kohat city. The total area of the park is 2800 acres (11 km2), consisting of Tanda reservoir and its catchments in Kohat. This is the largest wildlife park of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Its wonderfully rich and varied landscape supports a range of mammals and birds, both migratory and indigenous, as well as a few reptiles. Kohat is famous for guava.

The park is bounded by three different villages, Bar, Kaghazi, and Tanda Banda. The park is approachable by Hangu-kaghazi gravel road, shahpur-Bar road which is 18 km (11 mi) from Kohat.

The local people do not have any right of grazing, lopping or firewood collection as the ownership lies with the provincial government. The park area falls in the natural habitat of urial and chinkara, and also provides suitable habitat to hog deer. The urial is associated with scrub forest of Olea species and Accassia species. Urial were once abundant in the area but due to continuous habitat destruction these were disappeared from the area in the near past. The natural habitat of urial and chinkara lies in close proximity of human habitation.

Kotal Pheasantry

Kotal Pheasantry is established in Kotal wildlife park in district Kohat over an area of 1 kanal, with an objective to propagate and provide breeding environment to exotic/indigenous wildlife species like silver pheasant, golden pheasant, reeves pheasant, pea-cock etc. About 20–30 visitors including students and general public visit the pheasantry for education and recreation purposes per day. There are four species of pheasants in the pheasantry including ring necked pheasant, silver pheasant, peacock pheasant and white pheasant.

Demographics

Population

Kohat is regarded as a centre of the Bangash tribe of Pashtuns, who have lived in the region since the late 15th century.

Languages

According to the 2023 Census of Pakistan, Pashto is overwhelmingly dominant in Kohat City, spoken by 73.30% of the population. Hindko is the second most common first language at 19.70%, Urdu accounts for 3.75% of speakers, followed by Punjabi at 2.41%, this is followed by an additional 0.85% which consists of a multitude of other languages spoken in Pakistan (mostly Saraiki and Sindhi).

Transportation

Rail

Construction of the Kohat Tehsil railway station and railway line was started in 1897, and was completed in 1902. The Kohat Cantonment railway station serves as the terminus for the Khushalgarh–Kohat–Thal Railway - which ceased onward narrow gauge (762 mm or 2 ft 6 in) railway service to Thall in 1991. Kohat is the terminus railway station of Kohat–Jand railway line and has daily train service to Rawalpindi.

The Kohat Rail Service, suspended in 2013 due to unforeseen circumstances, caused immense hardship for the local population. Undeterred, President Saleem Altaf Advocate spearheaded a peaceful movement through Karwaan-E-Amal Kohat. Following a resilient 4-year struggle, the Kohat Rail Service was triumphantly restored in 2017. Today, millions of people in Kohat reap the benefits of this vital transportation link.

Air

The nearest airport served by commercial services is Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar. Kohat Airbase (IATA: OHT, ICAO: OPKT) is a Pakistan Air Force base that began as a runway built by the British. PIA once used the airport using de Havilland Twin Otter, though Kohat is no longer served by commercial services.

Road

Kohat is a major node on the N-55 Indus Highway that connects Peshawar to Karachi, and the N-80 highway that connects Kohat to Islamabad. The 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) Kohat Tunnel was completed in 2004, and connects the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Peshawar. Constructed with Japanese assistance, the tunnel drastically reduced travel times across the Kohat Pass.

Media

Radio Pakistan Kohat

Kohat Press Club

In popular culture

Kohat plays a central role in the eighth season of U.S. political thriller Homeland particularly in the episodes Threnody(s), In Full Flight and Designated Driver.

Education

Universities

University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar Kohat Campus

Kohat University of Science & Technology

Preston University in Kohat

Colleges

Khyber Medical College Peshawar Campus

Cadet College Kohat

Garrison Cadet College Kohat

Government Degree College Kohat

Historical military significance

Kohat Cantonment was established in the British Era, and it is one of the eight cantonments falling in the Peshawar region. Kohat is also the headquarters of Pakistan's Inter Services Selection Board (ISSB), which selects commissioned officers for the Pakistan armed forces of Pakistan including the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Notable people

Afzal Bangash, politician and co-founder and president of the Mazdoor Kisan Party

Iftikhar Hussain Shah, former Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

Malik Saad, Pakistani police officer

Shahid Afridi, Pakistani international cricketer and former captain of Pakistan national cricket team.

Rohan Mustafa, Pakistani-born United Arab Emirates cricketer.

Rashid Mansoor, Pakistani cricketer