Peshawar - City of Pakistan

Peshawar is the capital of the North-West Frontier Province and the administrative centre for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. "Peshawar" literally means The High Fort in Persian and is known as Pekhawar in Pashto or Pukhto. The area of the city has been ruled by numerous empires including the Afghan, Persian, Shahi, Greek, Maurya, Scythian, Arab, Turk, Mongol, Mughal, Sikh and the British.

Located on the edge of the Khyber Pass near the Afghan border, Peshawar is the commercial, economic, political and cultural capital of the Pashtuns in Pakistan. It also remains as a front-line between extremist, moderate, and liberal Islam.

Being among the most ancient cities of the region between Central, South, and West Asia, Peshawar has for centuries been a centre of trade between Afghanistan, South Asia, and Central Asia as well as the Middle East. As an ancient center of learning, the 2nd century B.C.E.Bakhshali Manuscript used in the Bakhshali approximation was found nearby. Peshawar is also the setting of the famous story Peshawar Nights, which was an exchange between a Shia scholar and a Sunni audience over the course of 11 nights that results in their acceptance of Shi'ism.

Peshawar is located in an area that was dominated by various tribes of Indo-Iranian origin. The region was affiliated with the ancient kingdom of Gandhara and had links to the Harappan civilization of the Indus River Valley and to Bactria and other ancient kingdoms based in Afghanistan.

Peshawar formed the eastern capital of the empire of Gandhara under the Kushan king Kanishka I who reigned from at least 127 CE and, perhaps, for a few years prior to this. Peshawar also became a great centre of Buddhist learning. Kanishka built what may have been the tallest building in the world at the time, a giant stupa, to house the Buddha's relics, just outside the Ganj Gate of the old city of Peshawar.

Peshawar became part of the newly independent state of Pakistan in 1947 after politicians from the Frontier approved merger into the state that had just been carved from British India. While a large majority of people approved of this action, many others believed in the unity of India, such as Abdul Ghaffar Khan. Still others believed that the province should have ascended to Afghanistan - a position which later evolved into a call for a state independent of both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Peshawar continues to be a city that links Pakistan to Afghanistan as well as Central Asia and has emerged as an important regional city in Pakistan and remains a focal point for Pakhtun culture. Today, like the surrounding region, it is at the cross-roads of the struggle between the extremist Taliban and moderates, liberals and Pakhtoon nationalists. As a demonstration of their determination to destroy Pashtun icons, the Taliban bombed the shrine of the most beloved Pashtun poet, Rahman Baba, in 2009.

Peshawar is the centre of Pashtun culture and arts as well as a major centre of Hindko culture. With the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and the influx of millions of Afghan Refugees into Pakistan, Peshawar became the home for Afghan musicians and artists as well. The city has become the centre for Pashto music and cinema as well Dari music from Afghan Tajiks.

In 2008, the secular ANP swept elections and won power from the Islamic coalition. Since then, some restrictions have been lifted, but there has not been a full restoration of the liberties guaranteed before the MMA victory in 2002.

There is also a thriving book publishing activity in Persian language in Peshawar, concentrated primarily of Islamic Shia literature located in Qissa Khawani Bazaar operated primarily by Shia Pashtuns.

With the level of higher education on the rise, there has been a surge of prestigious educational institutions in Peshawar.

University of Peshawar:

Khyber Medical University
Agriculture University of Peshawar
University of Engineering & Technology
National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences
Islamia College Peshawar
Gandhara University
Iqra University
Institute of Management Studies
ICMS
Oxfords College University Town Peshawar
City University Of Science & Technology
Institute of Business & Management Sciences
CECOS
Gandhara Medical College
Sarhad University
Ghulam IOshaq Khan Institute of Science & Technology, Topi, NWFP
College of Aeronautical Engineering
Peshawar Medical College
Abasin University
Preston University
Greenwich University
PAC
Government Frontier College Peshawar
Jinnah College for Women
Edwardes College Peshawar
Government College Peshawar
Superior Science College Wazirbagh Peshawar.
Fazaia Degree College
University Public School
University Model School
Peshawar Model School
Collegiate School Islamia College
Oxfords College School University Town Peshawar
Peshawar Public School and College
The Convent High School
Army Public School
BeaconHouse School System
The City School
The Educators
The Roots School
American International School
I.L.M
The Smart School
Qadeems Educational System
Iqra School
daffodils Kindergarten
Frontier Model School
Peshawar Grammar School
Lahore Grammar School
Saint Mary's High School
Forward Model School
Forward Public School


Peshawar is one of the oldest cities of the world[citation needed]. It is a conservative Islamic city with a rich history. It offers everything from goldsmiths and silversmiths, traditional carpets, pottery, and clothing to artwork in wood, brass or semi-precious stones. The old walled city, was known for its 16 gates — Bijouri, Kabuli, Aasamai, Kutcheri, Rampura, Hasht Nagri, Toot, Kohati, Sirki, Thandi Khoi, Barzaqan, Ganj, Ramdas, Dabgari and Lahore Gate. The names given to these gates are significant. It was Sikh General Avitabile, who built a mud wall surrounding the city. Under the British nearly the whole of the enclosure wall had been built of pucca brick.

There are many bazaars with different goods and souvenirs for travellers. The main ones include the historic Qissa Khawani Bazaar, the Copper market, Chowk Yadgar and Andarsheher Bazaar. In addition because of its access to the Khyber pass, the Khyber train safari starts from here.

Due to the resurgence of extremists such as the Taliban, the city is off limits to all but the most intrepid Western travelers.