Malakand Pass
Encyclopedia
The Malakand Pass is a mountain pass
in Malakand District
, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
.
The pass road begins at Dargai
. The road across the pass is in good condition, but is always crowded with a continuous stream of truck
s. From a viewpoint about one kilometre before the top of the pass, one can see the Swat Canal in the valley below. It was built by the British
to channel water from the Swat River
through a tunnel under the Malakand Pass to the plains around Mardan
.
On the left, Malakand Fort guards the road at the top of the pass. On the other side of the pass, the road descends through the market town
of Bat Khela, with a Hindu
Shahi
fort perched above it, and continues past the headworks of the Swat Canal to the Swat River. The first bridge
across the river is at Chakdara
, which carries the road to Lower Dir and Chitral
.
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
in Malakand District
Malakand District
Malakand District is a district of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan.The District was formed in 1970 as a Provincially Administered Tribal Area, It had previously been a Tribal Area known as the Malakand Protected Area, part of the Malakand Agency...
, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
The pass road begins at Dargai
Dargai
Dargai is an administrative area of the Malakand District in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, located on the main highway from Peshawar to Swat, Dir and Chitral...
. The road across the pass is in good condition, but is always crowded with a continuous stream of truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s. From a viewpoint about one kilometre before the top of the pass, one can see the Swat Canal in the valley below. It was built by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to channel water from the Swat River
Swat River
The Swat River is a river in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. Its source is in the Hindukush Mountains, from where it flows through the Kalam Valley and Swat District...
through a tunnel under the Malakand Pass to the plains around Mardan
Mardan
Mardan , known as The city of hospitality, is a city and headquarters of Mardan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is the de facto headquarters of the Yousafzai tribe and the second most populous city in the province, located at 34°12'0N 72°1'60E and an altitude of in the south...
.
On the left, Malakand Fort guards the road at the top of the pass. On the other side of the pass, the road descends through the market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
of Bat Khela, with a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Shahi
Shahi
The Shahi , Sahi, also called Shahiya dynasties ruled one of the Middle kingdoms of India which included portions of the Kabulistan and the old province of Gandhara , from the decline of the Kushan Empire in the 3rd century to the early 9th century...
fort perched above it, and continues past the headworks of the Swat Canal to the Swat River. The first bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
across the river is at Chakdara
Chakdara
Chakdara is a town in Lower Dir District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. It is located north of Malakand on the north bank of the Swat River, in a commanding position near the entrance to Swat District and at the entrance to Lower Dir...
, which carries the road to Lower Dir and Chitral
Chitral
Chitral or Chetrar , translated as field in the native language Khowar, is the capital of the Chitral District, situated on the western bank of the Kunar River , in Pakistan. The town is at the foot of Tirich Mir, the highest peak of the Hindu Kush, high...
.