| Kohat Tunnel کوہاٹ سرنگ | |
|---|---|
 The tunnel’s southern entrance | |
 Interactive map of Kohat Tunnel کوہاٹ سرنگ | |
| Overview | |
| Location | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,Pakistan |
| Coordinates | 33°38′51″N71°32′18″E / 33.64750°N 71.53833°E /33.64750; 71.53833 |
| Route |  N55 (Indus Highway) |
| Crosses | Khigana Mountains |
| Operation | |
| Work begun | 1999; 27 years ago (1999) |
| Opened | June 2003; 22 years ago (2003-06) |
| Technical | |
| Design engineer | Sadrul Ola Rizvi (Project Director - Indus Highway NHA) |
| Length | 1.89 km (1+1⁄8 mi) |
| Tunnel clearance | 3 m (9 ft 10 in) |
| Width | 10.3 m (33 ft 10 in) |
TheKohat Tunnel (Urdu:کوہاٹ سرنگ,Kohat Surang) is a1.9-kilometre-long (1+1⁄8-mile)highwaytunnel under the Khigana Mountains betweenKohat District andDara Adam Khel Tehsil in theKhyber Pakhtunkhwa province ofPakistan. The tunnel carries northbound and southbound traffic alongN-55 National Highway (Indus Highway) under theKohat Pass. The tunnel is also referred to as thePak-Japan Friendship Tunnel, as it was constructed with assistance from the Economic Cooperation Fund of Japan.[1]
Construction on the tunnel began in 1999, and it opened to traffic in June 2003. As part of the developingIndus Highway system, the tunnel serves as a shorter, alternative route to theKohat Pass, situated between the cities ofPeshawar andKohat. The new route decreases the travel time through the Kohat Pass by about 20 minutes. The main advantage of the tunnel is that long bodied vehicles can now use the Indus Highway whereas previously the hairpin bends on the Kohat Pass made it impossible for such vehicles to travel. It also helps alleviate traffic congestion, improve traffic safety and promote economic development.
The tunnel was at the center of a military confrontation between thePakistan Army and pro-Taliban militants in early 2008. The militants had taken control of the tunnel around 24 January, after hijacking trucks carrying supplies and ammunition for security forces inSouth Waziristan. On 27 January, the security forces regained control of the tunnel, after "fierce fighting" involvingartillery,helicopter gunships and heavy machineguns during which 24 militants were reported killed.[2][3]
