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PESHAWAR, Jul 30 (APP):High in the rugged terrain of the Safed Koh mountain range, where the dry wind whispers tales of warriors and emperors, a narrow corridor snakes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, reminding the glorious past of Khyber Pakthunkhwa.
This is the Khyber Pass—a historic gateway where geography and history collide in dramatic fashion, and where every stone seems to echo with footsteps of invaders and emperors from centuries past.
Standing near Bab-e-Khyber, the symbolic gate to this ancient pass, 12-year-old Malaika Bibi of Nowshera beams with great pride.
“Bab-e-Khyber was always a dream,” she says, her eyes sparkling. “My Papa Jan brought me here today and it’s even more beautiful than I imagined as the national flag hoisting skyhigh.”
For visitors like Malaika, the Khyber Pass is more than just a rugged road but it is a living museum without walls.
Spanning 53 kilometers, the Khyber Pass has served as a vital artery for trade, migration, and conquest for over 2,500 years.
From Alexander the Great to Mongol invaders, Persian kings to British colonial forces, this narrow strip of land has seen the rise and fall of empires.
“This pass has seen more history than most modern cities,” remarks Dr. Bakhtzada Khan, Assistant Director of Archaeology and Museums in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“It is not just a route. It is a palimpsest of empires each era leaving behind cultural, political, and military imprints.”
Dr. Bakhatzada Khan said how the British constructed the Khyber Railway in the early 20th century, a marvel of engineering designed to support military logistics.
Even Winston Churchill, then a young British officer, once served in the region and chronicled its strategic value.
At over 1,000 meters above sea level lies Landi Kotal on Khyber pass, a dusty but dignified town just seven kilometers from the Afghan border. Once the stomping ground of empires, Landi Kotal has long served as the gateway between South and Central Asia.
“From Aryans to Mughals, every ruler who marched into the subcontinent walked through Landi Kotal via Khyber pass,” said Dr. Bakhtzada.
The Achaemenid Empire integrated the region in the 6th century BC, encouraging the spread of Gandhara culture and literacy across the valleys.
Alexander the Great’s incursion in 327 BC met fierce resistance from local Afridi and Yousafzai tribes, a struggle that shaped his campaign in the East.
Later came Mahmud of Ghazni, who entered via the pass in 1001 AD and defeated Hindu ruler Jayapala, paving the way for Islam’s deeper roots in the region.
The Mughals, too, marched through here—most notably King Zaheeruddin Babur, who defeated Ibrahim Lodhi at Panipat in 1526, founding an empire that lasted over 300 years.
The Sikh Empire and later the British Raj also recognized Khyber pass importance. The British garrisoned the Landi Kotal fort, manned by the famed Khyber Rifles, a militia recruited from local tribes.
But the pass isn’t just a passage for armies. It was a key stretch of the ancient Silk Road, facilitating the flow of goods, beliefs, and people across continents.
Buddhist monks, Hindu pilgrims, Sufi mystics, and European adventurers all once traversed its rocky turns.
In towns like Jamrud and Landi Kotal, the remnants of this rich past remain especially forts, shrines, and colonial relics that continue to watch silently over the hills.
“This region was and still very important especially strategically and culturally,” said Dr. Abdul Samad Khan, Secretary of Culture, Tourism and Archaeology.
“We want to reintroduce it to the world.not just as a relic of war, but as a bridge of culture and tourism.”
He envisioned transforming Landi Kotal and Jamrud into tourism hubs. With the Khyber Pass Economic Corridor now in the works, this historic passage may soon serve a new generation not of conquerors, but of traders, tourists, historuans, archaeologists and storytellers.
The region holds promise beyond history. According to Dr. Yousaf Sarwar, former President of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), cross-border trade and tourism could drive economic revival.
“With proper planning, the Khyber Pass could be Pakistan’s cultural and commercial lifeline to Central Asia,” he said.
Torkham border already functions as a crucial gateway for Pak-Afghan trade and patients seeking healthcare in Pakistan.
Dr. Abdul Samad believed there’s even potential for health tourism in the region, particularly with improved infrastructure.
But development, he argued, must be sustainable. “We must preserve history while promoting progress. The local communities deserved to be the first beneficiaries of this revival.”
As day fades over the jagged cliffs of the Khyber Pass, the shadows stretch across the road that has seen both blood and brotherhood. From Alexander’s legions to modern-day convoys, the path remains etched by time and strengthened by struggle.
In a world divided by politics and borders, perhaps Khyber pass offers a different vision not as a line of separation, but as a living bridge between cultures and civilizations.
After all, as the historic pass itself reminds us, history does not end at the border rather it begins there.