For
many centuries, the Bolan pass has been the main entrance
to Quetta district. It is historically significant, used as
the gateway by most of the immigrants from central Asia in
their drive to discover new homelands in South Asia. The two
other important passes are the Lak Pass between Quetta and
Kallat and the Khojak Pass near the border with Afghanistan
at Chaman.
Along
Bolan Pass where the road winds through picturesque mountains
one is reminded of the huge odds that the armies from Central
Asia and the north must have faced in their raids on the plains
of the present day Pakistan. In winter, trains of camels,
as they slowly plod their way through to the top, look fascinating.
The Bolan links Quetta with the plains of the Punjab and the
upper Sindh through the town of Sibi by road and train. The
train passes through 21 tunnels.
LAK
PASS:
Lak
pass is located between Kallat and Quetta at a point where
the highway makes a turn for Koh-e-Taftan, Saindak copper
mines and Zahidan in Iran and the other section links Karachi
via Kallat, Khuzdar and Bella. PTDC Model at Khuzdar and Taftan
caters for motorists. The view from the top of the pass is
interesting. Trucks, trailers and lorries laden to their brim
with merchandise and passengers move along at great speeds.
Down below these kiosks sell beverages. On the hills, unmindful
of the presence of the motorized transport and the human beings,
hundreds of sheep browse upon the scant herbage available
there.
KHOJAK
PASS:
The
Khojak Pass is 7575 ft. above sea level. It leads directly
to the border of Afghanistan at Chaman which is 153 kms away
from Quetta. The train passes through the longest tunnel of
the sub-continent. The scenery is breath-taking as here as
it is at Bolan Pass.
HARNAI
PASS:
The
entire population of Hardware Baba and for that matter of
the entire Ziarat, migrates to Harnai in extreme winter. Harnai
Pass, about hours drive from Loralai, is just as spectacular
as the Khyber Pass near Peshawar.