History of Kohat

Kohat is a city in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is the capital of the Kohat Division. The town centers around a British-era fort, various bazaars and a military cantonment. A British-built narrow gauge railway line runs through the town.

History:

The decisive engagement which made the Bangash masters of the Kohat valley is said to have been fought near Muhammadzai. Local traditions describe the battle as having lasted day and night for three days, till at last a youth in white appeared on the scene shouting "Dai, Dai, Dai, Sam de BangashO; Ghar de Orakzo," which, being translated, means "It is, it is, it is, the plain of the Bangash; the hill of the Orakzais." This legend is supposed by the Bangash to satisfactorily dispose of any claims of the Orakzais to proprietary rights in the Kohat or Miranzai valleys. According to another tradition the Kohat valley before the Bangash invasion was occupied, not by Orakzais, but by the tribes of the Gabris, Safis and Maujaris, who are not now to be traced. Whoever the original inhabitants may have been they now entirely disappeared. They were either exterminated, or more probably they were incorporated with the Bangash settlers, at first as Hamsayahs till in process of time they became indistinguishable from the real Bangash. A fort constructed by the British army stands near the centre of the town. Little is known about the fort.

The original settlements of the Bangash were in the Kuram valley. Miranzais, Samilzais and Baizais were all located there. The Baizais, whose summer quarters were at Ziran in Kuram, used to move during the winter to the Kohat plain, much as the Waziris and Ghilzais now do. After a time they quarrelled with the inhabitants of the country. Being unable to cope with them alone, they got the men of Upper Miranzai and Hangu to join them, and with their assistance conquered the country, which has been since known as Baizai. In dividing the tract the Hangu and Miranzai confederates got allotments which their descendants still hold.

As the Bangashes took possession of these lower valleys the lands abandoned by them in Kuram were taken possession of by a new tribe, the Turis, who gradually obtained the mastery over the Bangashes that remained, and are now the dominant tribe there. The Bangashes still possess the following tracts in the Kuram valley: Baghzai occupied by Jamshedis, and Shalozam, Makhazai, Hajikhel, and Ziran occupied by Shamilzais.


Kohat Railway Station 1900:

Photo of Kohat Tehsil Gate 1919:

Languages:

Historically It was home of local Kohatis who use to speak dialect of Punjabi Language (Kohati /Hindko). After demographic changes in recent decades due to Afghan Refugees and Tribal peoples arrival, Pashto language speakers are in majority today. Urdu being National language is also spoken and understood. The main tribes of Kohat are Banoori, Bangash, Kohati, Orakzai, Khattak, Shenwari, Afridi etc.


Geography:

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)