Report: Muhammad Amin
GARAM CHASHMA: The strategic and historical Dorah Pass from Shah Salim to Badakhshan province of Afghanistan is set to reopen after about 19 years, Union Council (UC) Lotkoh Nazim Muhammad Hussain told ChitralToday.
The government has also decided to reopen the Arandu-Dok Alam road to connect to Afghanistan in the southwest of Chitral.
The Dorah Pass road used to be an important transit route between the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia since time immemorable.
Trade caravans used to traverse the route from Central Asia towards the subcontinent and onward to other countries.
In 1979 when the then Soviet Union occupied Afghanistan, this route became one of the busiest for movement of Afghan refugees into Pakistan.
Geo-politically, this route also provided the shortest link between Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Central Asian republics. But the road was closed for all kinds of traffic by the government of Pakistan due to security situation in Afghanistan after 2000.
The reopening of the historical pass indicates an improved law and order situation in the country.
The road will officially be reopened on Aug 7 in Garam Chashma in the presence of the representatives of FBR and other department.
In the winters, people of Chitral used to travel through the Arandu-Dok Alam route to reach Peshawar before the construction of the Lowari Pass. However, this route was closed in 2008 when the tunnel was constructed.