Sight & Sounnds

Karakorum Highway (KKH)

KKH is  a remarkable feat of civil engineering and is said to be the 8th wonder of world was primarily constructed for strategic and military purposes. It twists through three great mountain ranges; Karakoram, Himaliya and Hindukush and gives spectacular views. The main road line was constructed by the Chinese engineer with assistance of FWO and completed  over an 11 year period between 1968-1978. However, the border was opened during 1986. This friend-ship road connects Pakistan with the Xinjiang region of Peoples Republic of China through the highest metalled road crossing in Khunjerab Pass at an altitude of about 4,693 metres (15,397 feet) and stretches some 1300 kilometres beginning from Havelian while crossing Khunjerab Pass at Chinese frontier to the Kashghar city of Xinjiang. On Pakistan side the length is about 840 km from Havelion to Khunjerab Pass. As the highway was constructed by blasting and cutting mountains so it took the lives of about 810 Pakistani and 82 Chinese workers.

Apart from its strategic importance, the Karakoram Highway is also historically significant, since it follows closely that segment of the ancient Silk Route which once passed through the this region. There was routine bus service between the boerder town Sost and from June 1, 2006, a daily direct bus service began between Gilgit, and Kashghar, China, through the Sust and Tashkorgan border area. The Governments are also planning to start bus service from Rawalpindi to Kashghar.

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