Lowari Pass



Lowari Pass (درہ لواری), or Lowari Top, (el. 10,230 ft.) is a high mountain pass, connecting the regions of Chitral and Dir Upper within the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Lowari Pass is a relatively low pass, by far the lowest pass to enter Chitral. All the other are around 12,000 to 15,000 feet.

Lowari Top experiences a seasonal closure due to heavy snow accumulation, rendering it impassable for vehicular transportation. This closure typically extends from the latter part of November to the ending days of May each year. The Pass entail inherent risks. A significant concern may be the imminent threat posed by avalanches, which can occur abruptly. This is dangerous, as there are high mountains on each side of Lowari Top, and a deadly avalanche can come at any moment without warning.

Several people traversing the Pass in winters become the victims of avalanche fatalities. Their bodies are buried under the snow and it is only when the summer comes and the snow melts that their bodies are found.

Nevertheless, Lowari Top remains popular because it is the shortest route from Chitral to Peshawar. The other way would be down the Kunar River to Jalalabad through hostile Afghan territory or the much longer route across Shandur Top to Gilgit.

Lowari Top crosses the Hindu Raj Mountains, a spur of the higher Hindu Kush. On the Chitral side of Lowari Top are the people of Ashret, who speak the Palula language and were assigned by the Mehtar of Chitral to be the guardians of Lowari Top.

On the Dir side reside Khowars, some of whom make their living as porters carrying loads across Lowari Top.

In 1954, the Mehtar of Chitral was killed when his airplane crashed into Lowari Top.

The word "Top" is believed not to be the English word "top" but a word from an ancient language no longer spoken there.

The Lowari Top is one of the four major mountain passes to enter Chitral. The others are the Dorah Pass from Badakshan in Afghanistan, Shandur Top from Gilgit, and Broghol from the Wakhan Corridor in Afghanistan.

The Lowari Tunnel was constructed beneath Lowari Pass by Sambu, a South Korean company in 2009. However, the tunnel was abandoned shortly thereafter and has since fallen into disrepair.

The tunnel is functional as of December, 2019 and comprises over 8.5 Kilometres in length.

Books

 * The Gilgit Game by John Keay (1985) ISBN 0-19-577466-3
 * The Kafirs of the Hindukush (1896) Sir George Scott Robertson.