Bolan Pass

The Bolan Pass

The Bolan Pass is a gap through the Toba Kakar Range of mountains on the border of Pakistan.

Strategically located, traders, invaders, and nomadic tribes have also used it as a gateway to and from India.

The British took the threat of a Russian invasion of India via the Khyber and Bolan Passes very seriously so in 1837, a British envoy was sent to Kabul to gain support of the Emir, Dost Mohammed. In February of 1839, the British Army under Sir John Keane took 12,000 men through the Bolan Pass and entered Kandahar, which the Afghan Princes had abandoned; from there they would go on to attack and overthrow Ghuznee.

Traditionally, the Brahio of the Raisani tribe were in charge of the law and order situation through the Pass area. This tribe is still living in present day Balochistan in Pakistan.

In 1879 at the close of the Second Afghan War, the Treaty of Gandamak, the Bolan Pass was been brought under British control; this was when the Sind-Pishin Railway was built by the British across the pass between Kandahar and Quetta.

The British-built Railroad

--Sherurcij 01:36, Apr 29, 2005 (UTC)