Peshawar: The Ancient Gateway of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The M-1 drops you into Peshawar without ceremony. The toll plaza clears, traffic tightens immediately, and somewhere to the left, past a line of roadside shops, smoke rises from something cooking on a flat iron tawa.

The smell arrives before the city fully does. Meat char, dust, diesel, and underneath it all, faintly, something like cardamom drifting from a direction you cannot place. The road narrows toward the old city, the buildings press closer, and the walls get older.

It is the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Asia. Every empire that ever moved between Central Asia and the subcontinent passed through here, and each one left something behind.

The walled old city still trades out of the same lanes it has used for centuries. The Pashtun code of hospitality still means a stranger is a guest before they have said a word. This guide moves through the geography, history, culture, food, and landmark places that together make Peshawar what it is: a frontier city that has outlasted every frontier drawn around it.

Quick Facts About Peshawar

Geography of Peshawar

Peshawar sits at the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, where the mountains of Afghanistan give way to the plains of the subcontinent. That single position made it one of the most strategically important locations in human history, and it still shapes the city today.

Location

Peshawar lies in the northwestern corner of Pakistan, bordered by Afghanistan to the west and surrounded by the hills of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa plateau. It occupies the Vale of Peshawar, a broad, fertile basin that gave early settlers water, agricultural land, and natural shelter.

• Northwestern Pakistan, at the eastern end of the Khyber Pass
• Bordered by Afghanistan to the west
• Set in the Vale of Peshawar, a fertile basin surrounded by hills
• Largest city and provincial capital of KPK

The Kabul River

The Kabul River flows north of Peshawar and was foundational to the city’s early growth. Its fertile banks shaped the settlement patterns still visible in the older neighborhoods today. The Warsak Dam, located downstream, supplies hydroelectric power and irrigation to the wider region.

Climate

Peshawar has a semi-arid climate with four distinct seasons. The best time to visit is October to March, when skies are clear and temperatures are comfortable for outdoor exploration.

• Spring (March to April): Mild and pleasant
• Summer (May to August): Hot and dry, exceeding 38°C
• Monsoon (July to September): Limited rainfall compared to Punjab
• Winter (November to February): Cool to cold, occasional morning fog

Strategic Position

The Khyber Pass begins 53 kilometers from Peshawar’s western edge. For over two millennia, every movement of armies, merchants, and ideas between South Asia and Central Asia passed through this corridor, and Peshawar was always the first city on one side and the last on the other. The Grand Trunk Road runs through the city, and the M-1 Motorway now links it directly to Islamabad. Peshawar remains KPK’s administrative, economic, and cultural capital.

History and Heritage of Peshawar

History in Peshawar is not preserved behind glass. It is lived in. Few cities on earth have been inhabited for as long, by as many peoples, as continuously as this one.

Ancient Foundations: Purushapura

Under the Kushan Empire in the 1st to 3rd centuries AD, Peshawar was known as Purushapura, meaning “City of Men.” It was the center of the Gandhara civilization, where Hellenistic, Persian, and Buddhist influences merged into a distinctive artistic culture.

Emperor Kanishka the Great made it a major seat of Buddhist learning. Gandhara art produced some of the earliest human representations of the Buddha, and the city’s museum holds that legacy today.

• Named Purushapura under the Kushan Empire
• Center of Gandhara civilization and Buddhist heritage
• Kanishka the Great’s hub of Buddhist learning
• Artifacts now housed in Peshawar Museum

Mughal and Afghan Era

Emperor Akbar rebuilt and reinforced Peshawar, including Bala Hisar Fort, which became the city’s defining skyline landmark. The city functioned as a Silk Road trade hub connecting India, Persia, and Central Asia.

The Afghan Durrani rulers deepened Peshawar’s ties to Central Asia and reinforced its Pashtun cultural identity. Qissa Khawani Bazaar emerged as the famous Storytellers’ Bazaar during this era.

• Akbar’s fortification of Bala Hisar Fort
• Major Silk Road junction between India and Central Asia
• Afghan Durrani era left a lasting Pashtun imprint
• Qissa Khawani developed as the Storytellers’ Bazaar

Sikh Rule

In 1823, Maharaja Ranjit Singh captured Peshawar and brought it under the Sikh Empire. The period was brief but left a physical mark, with some Mughal-era structures altered or repurposed.

The city’s commercial life and strategic importance as a regional gateway continued without interruption throughout this transition.

• Maharaja Ranjit Singh captured Peshawar in 1823
• Some Mughal-era architecture was altered
• Trade and commercial activity remained active

British Colonial Period

The British annexed Peshawar in 1849 following the Second Anglo-Sikh War and named it the “Queen of the Frontier.” Cantonment areas were built, the Grand Trunk Road was expanded, and institutional architecture appeared across the city.

The colonial cantonment, with its wide roads and structured layout, remains a distinct part of Peshawar’s urban character today.

• Annexed in 1849; named “Queen of the Frontier”
• Cantonment districts built along planned colonial lines
• Grand Trunk Road expanded as a military corridor
• NWFP established; Islamia College founded in 1913

Post-Independence and the Renaming of KPK

At independence in 1947, Peshawar became the capital of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP). That name held for decades until 2010, when a constitutional amendment renamed the province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The renaming asserted the Pashtun identity that had always defined this land. The streets of Peshawar carry all of these eras simultaneously. They do not distinguish between Kushan, Mughal, and modern. They simply continue.

• Capital of NWFP from 1947
• NWFP renamed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2010
• 18th Constitutional Amendment gave the province its current name

Urban Growth and Infrastructure

Peshawar has grown from a walled ancient city into a modern provincial capital while keeping its historic core intact. The Walled City, called Ander Shehr, still functions as a living neighborhood, not a preserved relic. Around it, the city has expanded steadily in every direction.

From Walled City to Modern Metropolis

The city’s expansion has pushed outward into organized townships and new commercial corridors. Hayatabad is the largest planned township in KPK, and University Town, Gulbahar, and Dalazak Road form the city’s newer residential and commercial spine.

• Hayatabad: largest planned township in KPK
• University Town: academic and residential district
• Ring Road and M-1 linking Peshawar to Islamabad

Peshawar BRT: TransPeshawar (Zu Bus)

Pakistan’s first fully operational Bus Rapid Transit system runs through Peshawar. The TransPeshawar BRT, locally called the Zu Bus, covers 27 km from Chamkani to Hayatabad across 31 stations. It is the easiest and most affordable way to move across the city.

• 27 km route, 31 stations
• Air-conditioned buses on dedicated lanes
• Connects old city, University Town, and Hayatabad

Peshawar Cantonment and Railway Station

The cantonment district retains its colonial-era character, with wide roads and institutional buildings. Dean’s Hotel, one of Pakistan’s oldest, operates here. Peshawar Cantonment Railway Station marks the end of Pakistan’s longest train route, the Karachi to Peshawar Khyber Mail, and still carries its colonial-era architectural identity.

Economy and Trade

Peshawar has been a trading city for over two thousand years. That commercial instinct is in its DNA, and it shows in every bazaar, every import market, and every tea house where deals are still made over cups of kehwa.

Traditional Trade Hub

The Khyber Pass is not just a geographic feature. It is one of the most consequential trade corridors in human history. For millennia, goods from China, Persia, India, and Central Asia moved through it, and Peshawar sat at the hinge. Merchants and traders made it their base, their market, and their resting point.

• Gateway for centuries of Silk Road commerce between South and Central Asia
• Qissa Khwani Bazaar developed as a hub for inter-regional traders and travellers
• Cross-border trade with Afghanistan remains active through Torkham border crossing
• Meena Bazaar and Karkhano Market continue to reflect Peshawar’s trading DNA

Modern Economy

Peshawar’s economy today is driven primarily by services, with government, education, healthcare, and retail as its largest sectors. As KPK’s administrative capital, a significant portion of its activity relates to public sector employment and institutional spending.

• Services sector dominant: education, healthcare, government, retail
• Growing IT presence in Hayatabad technology zones
• Small and medium industries including food processing, textiles, and construction
• Real estate and construction boom driven by population growth and BRT connectivity

Agriculture and Surrounding Vale

The Vale of Peshawar is one of the most fertile agricultural zones in KPK, producing wheat, sugarcane, and tobacco in significant quantities. Surrounding districts grow peaches, apricots, and other seasonal fruits that fill the city’s markets. This agricultural base has historically supported Peshawar’s food culture through every era of its long history.

Culture and Daily Life

Economics tells you what Peshawar does. Culture tells you who it is.

Peshawar is a Pashtun city, and Pashtun culture is one of the most distinctive in the world. It shapes how people speak, how they host guests, how they resolve disputes, and how they celebrate. Visitors feel this within hours of arriving, not as performance but as genuine daily life.

Language and Identity

Pashto is the mother tongue of the city’s Pashtun majority, a language with a rich oral literary tradition stretching back centuries. Urdu is widely spoken across all communities and serves as the language of commerce and media. Hindko is spoken in older parts of the city, particularly in certain neighborhoods of the inner walled area.

• Pashto is the primary and most widely spoken language
• Urdu understood and spoken by almost everyone
• Hindko spoken by some communities within the city
• A few words of Pashto, particularly greetings, are warmly received by locals

Pashtunwali: The Code of Honor

Pashtunwali is the ancient social code that governs Pashtun life, and it is central to understanding Peshawar. It is not ceremonial. It is operational. Visitors experience it directly.

• Melmastia (hospitality): Guests are sacred, and no genuine effort is spared to welcome them
• Nanawatai (asylum): A person who seeks refuge must be protected
• Badal (justice): A strong sense of fairness and responsibility to one’s community

This code explains why Peshawar’s reputation for hospitality is not marketing. Strangers are received not with suspicion but with genuine warmth, and that warmth defines the experience of visiting the city.

Faith and Spiritual Life

Peshawar has a strong and active Islamic identity. The call to prayer echoes across the city five times daily, and Friday prayers at historic mosques like Mahabat Khan draw large congregations. The spiritual rhythm of the city is visible in its architecture, its schedules, and the quiet reverence of its older neighborhoods.

• Mahabat Khan Mosque: Mughal-era mosque active since 1630
• Sufi shrines and dargahs scattered through older parts of the city
• Ramadan transforming the city’s evening rhythms completely
• Religious festivals celebrated with large community gatherings

Arts and Crafts

Peshawari craftsmanship is renowned and historically exported. The city’s artisans work in wood, copper, embroidery, and leather, producing goods that have found their way across the world.

• Peshawari chappals (traditional sandals): the most iconic craft export, worn from Karachi to London
• Woodwork: intricate carved furniture and panels from the old city’s workshops
• Copperwork: traditional vessels and decorative pieces from bazaars like Bazar-e-Kalan
• Rabab-based Pashtun folk music: the soundtrack of traditional Peshawar

Educational Hub of Peshawar

Peshawar is not just the political capital of KPK. It is the province’s academic capital as well. For decades, its universities have shaped the professional and intellectual life of an entire region, producing doctors, engineers, administrators, and scholars who have led institutions across Pakistan and beyond.

The student population comes not just from across KPK but from Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia, reflecting the city’s historic role as a regional meeting point.

• University of Peshawar (est. 1950): The flagship public university of KPK
• Khyber Medical University (KMU): KPK’s premier medical education authority
• Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH): One of Pakistan’s largest public hospitals
• University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar (UET Peshawar)
• Islamia College University: Historic institution founded in 1913
• Cecos University: Private university with programs in computing and business
• Gandhara University: Medical and health sciences focus

Beyond classrooms, Peshawar’s academic culture includes student societies, research conferences, and public forums that contribute to the city’s intellectual energy. Education here is inseparable from identity.

Food of Peshawar

Peshawar’s food is not subtle. It announces itself through smoke, spice, and char. If Lahore leads Pakistan in variety, Peshawar leads in identity.

Chapli Kabab

A flat minced beef patty fried in tallow on a large tawa, crisp on the outside and dense with flavor within. This is Peshawar’s most iconic dish and its most copied one. The original is best eaten fresh off the tawa at Namak Mandi or A1 Chapli Kabab.

Namkeen Gosht and Peshawari Karahi

Namkeen gosht is slow-cooked meat with salt, fat, and minimal spice. Peshawari Karahi follows the same philosophy: black pepper, tomatoes, high heat, iron wok. Both dishes are built around the quality of the meat, not the complexity of the masala.

Peshawari Naan and Charsadda Biscuits

Thick, sesame-topped naan baked in a clay tandoor. Denser and crustier than Punjab’s naan, best eaten warm with karahi or kehwa. Charsadda biscuits are dry, crumbly traditional cookies sold throughout the city’s bazaars.

Street Food

Peshawar’s best street food is concentrated in two places. Namak Mandi in the old city is where karahi and chapli kabab restaurants have operated for generations. Hayatabad Food Street (Phase 6) is the modern equivalent, packed every evening with families.

• Tikka and seekh kabab at roadside grills
• Corn on the cob in season
• Fried fish through the winter months

Traditional Drinks

• Kehwa: Green tea with cardamom, saffron, and almonds. Served everywhere, refused by no one.
• Lassi: Full-fat, salted, thick. A counterpoint to heavy meat dishes

Markets and Bazaars of Peshawar

Peshawar’s markets are not shopping destinations. They are living institutions. Some have been in continuous commercial operation for hundreds of years, and the goods on their shelves retain echoes of every era they have passed through.

Qissa Khawani Bazaar: The Storytellers’ Bazaar

Qissa Khawani translates as the Bazaar of Storytellers. Centuries ago, caravans coming through the Khyber Pass would stop here, and the chai houses would fill with travellers swapping tales from Kabul, Samarkand, Delhi, and Kandahar. The storytellers gave the bazaar its name, and that spirit has never fully left.

• Dried fruits, nuts, and traditional Peshawari goods fill the stalls
• Chai houses that feel unchanged from another century
• The smell of saffron, cardamom, and wood smoke in the air
• Best visited on foot in the early evening when it comes fully alive

Meena Bazaar

Meena Bazaar is Peshawar’s answer to Lahore’s Anarkali. It is the city’s center for fabrics, bridal wear, and traditional Peshawari embroidery, drawing shoppers from across KPK for weddings and special occasions. The craftsmanship of Peshawari embroidery, particularly on formal wear, is recognized across Pakistan.

Karkhano Market

Karkhano Market sits near the Afghan border and reflects Peshawar’s unique geographic position more visibly than any other location in the city.

• Largest imported goods bazaar in KPK
• Electronics, household items, and cosmetics at prices lower than mainstream retail
• Cross-border trade makes it a market unlike any other in Pakistan

Bazar-e-Kalan and Hashtnagri

These are the traditional commercial cores of the walled city. Copperware, woodwork, local produce, and everyday goods fill their lanes. Walking through them feels less like shopping and more like passing through a living museum of urban commerce.

Modern Retail

Hayatabad’s commercial area has emerged as Peshawar’s modern shopping destination, with franchise food chains, retail outlets, and organized commercial plazas. The GT Road commercial corridor offers a different character, a long, busy strip of stores catering to everyday needs across a wide range of price points.

Parks and Green Spaces

Peshawar’s parks offer a quieter side of a city defined by noise and energy. These green spaces are genuine urban retreats, used daily by families, students, and residents seeking a moment of calm.

Shahi Bagh (Wazir Bagh)

Shahi Bagh is one of Peshawar’s oldest gardens, with Mughal-era origins and colonial-period restructuring. Today it functions as a public park and remains one of the few large green spaces in the older parts of the city.

• Historic Mughal-era origins, one of the city’s oldest green spaces
• Colonial-era restructuring preserved its formal garden layout
• Open to the public and used daily by local residents

Peshawar Zoo

Located on Khyber Road, Peshawar Zoo is a popular family destination. It houses a variety of animals and attracts large numbers of visitors, particularly during weekends and school holidays.

Iqbal Park

Iqbal Park near University Road provides open space in one of the city’s busiest corridors. It is a gathering point for students and families, offering relief from the density of the surrounding urban environment.

Hayatabad Phase 6 Park

Adjacent to the famous Phase 6 Food Street, this park becomes especially lively in the evenings. Families gather, children play, and the proximity to food stalls creates an informal outdoor social scene that is very Peshawar in its warmth and energy.

Festivals and Cultural Events

Peshawar celebrates with the same intensity it brings to everything else. Festivals here are not quiet affairs. They fill streets, mosques, bazaars, and homes with light, sound, food, and community.

Religious Festivals

Eid celebrations in Peshawar are among the most vibrant in Pakistan. Large congregational prayers in open grounds and major mosques bring tens of thousands together, and the streets afterward fill with new clothes, visiting families, and the smell of cooking.

• Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha prayers at major mosques and Eidgahs draw enormous congregations
• Shab-e-Barat brings illuminations across the old city’s skyline
• Ramadan transforms Qissa Khawani and Namak Mandi into evening bazaars
• Religious gatherings at Sufi shrines draw visitors from across KPK and beyond

Nowruz: Persian New Year

Nowruz, the ancient Persian and Central Asian New Year at the spring equinox, holds special significance in Peshawar. It is observed in Pashtun and Hindko communities as a spring festival, marked with flowers, food, music, and renewed social ties. Its presence here reflects the city’s deep cultural connections to the wider Khyber region.

Cultural Parades and KPK Events

Independence Day ceremonies at Peshawar Cantonment include military parades and public events that draw large crowds. The KPK government also organizes cultural shows celebrating Pashtun traditions in music, dance, and poetry, reflecting growing official recognition of the province’s distinct heritage.

Top Places to Visit in Peshawar

Peshawar’s landmarks are not decorative. They are lived in, prayed in, traded in, and walked through daily. The city wears its history lightly, and its most important sites are embedded in the fabric of everyday life.

Bala Hisar Fort

Bala Hisar means “High Fort,” and this massive structure has commanded the Peshawar skyline for centuries. Originally reinforced during the Mughal period, it was later rebuilt by the Sikhs and used by the British before becoming a Pakistan Army installation.

• Currently serves as Pakistan Army headquarters; public access is restricted
• The fort’s silhouette is best seen from the edges of the old city
• One of the most historically layered sites in KPK
• The view of Bala Hisar rising above the city is an iconic image of Peshawar

Qissa Khawani Bazaar

This is not just a market. It is Peshawar’s living room. The bazaar has been a gathering point for travelers, traders, and storytellers for centuries and still carries that spirit.

• Visit on foot to fully experience the lanes, architecture, and atmosphere
• Come in the early evening when the bazaar is at its most alive
• Try the chai at one of the old traditional tea houses
• Explore the dried fruit and nut stalls that recall the bazaar’s Silk Road heritage

Peshawar Museum

Peshawar Museum houses one of the finest collections of Gandhara Buddhist art in the world. Founded in 1906, the building is an example of Indo-Saracenic colonial architecture, and the artifacts inside span two thousand years of the civilization that made Peshawar famous long before Islam arrived.

• Gandhara sculptures and reliefs from the Kushan period
• Some of the earliest known representations of the Buddha in human form
• Artifacts spanning Greek, Persian, and Buddhist artistic traditions
• Founded 1906; one of Pakistan’s most important archaeological museums

Mahabat Khan Mosque

Built in 1630 during the Mughal period, Mahabat Khan Mosque is one of the most beautiful examples of Mughal religious architecture in Pakistan. Its frescoed interiors, carved wooden pillars, and elegant proportions reflect the architectural confidence of that era.

• Located in the heart of the walled city
• Still active as a mosque; visitors welcome outside prayer times
• Intricate frescoes on the interior walls are among the finest in Pakistan

Sethi Mohalla

Sethi Mohalla is a cluster of 19th-century merchant houses with ornate wooden facades, representing some of the finest surviving traditional domestic architecture in Pakistan. The Sethi family were wealthy traders, and their homes reflect Peshawar’s prosperity at its commercial peak.

• A declared national monument receiving UNESCO attention
• Intricate carved wooden screens, balconies, and decorative facades
• Located in the walled city; guided visits provide deeper historical context

Gor Khatri

Gor Khatri is one of the most layered archaeological sites in Peshawar, with evidence of occupation going back over 2,500 years. The site includes a Buddhist stupa, Mughal and Afghan-era structures, and Sikh-era temples. Today it functions as a women’s craft center and heritage site.

• Archaeological layers spanning Buddhist, Mughal, and later periods
• Active craft center supporting traditional Peshawari crafts
• One of the most archaeologically rich sites in an archaeologically rich city

Cunningham Clock Tower

Built in 1900 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, the Cunningham Clock Tower stands at the center of old Peshawar’s commercial district. It remains a functioning landmark and a natural meeting point in the old city.

• Located at the intersection of key old-city commercial streets
• A colonial-era landmark that has become an organic part of the urban fabric

Khyber Pass (Day Trip)

The Khyber Pass is 53 kilometers from Peshawar and one of the most historically significant mountain passes in the world. Armies from Alexander the Great to the British Empire moved through it. It connects Peshawar to Torkham at the Afghan border and is accessible as a day trip with a permit.

• Requires a permit obtained through Khyber Rifles or a local tour operator
• Views into Afghanistan are possible from certain points along the route
• The Torkham border crossing is one of the busiest land borders in the region

Islamia College

Founded in 1913, Islamia College is one of the most beautiful and historically significant campuses in Pakistan. Its red brick colonial architecture, wide courtyards, and mature trees create a deeply atmospheric environment. The college played a significant role in the independence movement and now operates as a full university.

Peshawar Cantonment and Dean’s Hotel

The cantonment district is colonial Peshawar at its most intact. Wide tree-lined roads, institutional buildings, and a planned spatial order inherited from British military administration define the area. Dean’s Hotel, one of the oldest hotels in Pakistan, operates here and is said to have hosted Rudyard Kipling among its historical guests.

Travel Tips for Peshawar

Visiting Peshawar is rewarding when approached with preparation and respect. A few practical points make a significant difference:

• Best time to visit: October to March. Temperatures are comfortable, skies are clear, and outdoor exploration is enjoyable.
• Dress modestly: Peshawar is a conservative city and respectful dress is both culturally appropriate and appreciated.
• Learn a few Pashto greetings: Saying “Sta khayr sha” (may you be well) or simply “Salam” opens doors. Locals receive it warmly every time.
• Visit Qissa Khawani in the evening: The bazaar comes fully alive after 5 PM. Evenings are when the real atmosphere emerges.
• Eat chapli kabab fresh: Order directly from the tawa and eat immediately. Reheated chapli kabab is an entirely different and lesser dish.
• Use the BRT (Zu Bus): The easiest and cheapest way to cross the city. Clean, air-conditioned, and fast on its dedicated lanes.
• Khyber Pass permit: Arrange through a licensed tour operator in Peshawar at least a day in advance.
• Carry cash: Card acceptance is limited outside major hotels and large retail stores.
• Photography near military installations: Strictly prohibited and actively enforced.

Conclusion

Every city has a story. Peshawar’s is longer than most. It stretches through the Gandhara civilization, the Mughal court, the Silk Road, and the Khyber Pass, through every army and every merchant that ever moved between South Asia and Central Asia. That history did not make Peshawar heavy. It made it deep.

What strikes visitors most is not the age of the place but the ease with which it carries that age. The walled city is not preserved behind barriers. It is lived in. The bazaars are still open, and the hospitality that greeted strangers centuries ago still greets them today, with the same warmth and the same pot of kehwa.

Peshawar is a city that rewards those who come with curiosity and leave behind assumptions. Beyond the headlines that have sometimes defined it for outsiders, there is a city of extraordinary character, extraordinary food, and extraordinary people.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is Peshawar famous for?

Peshawar is famous for being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Asia, its rich Gandhara and Mughal heritage, the iconic Qissa Khawani Bazaar, Peshawari chapli kabab, and its position as the gateway to the Khyber Pass. It is also the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and a major cultural and educational center for the region.

Q2. What is the capital city of KPK?

Peshawar is the capital city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan’s northwestern province. It is the province’s largest city and serves as its administrative, economic, educational, and cultural center.

Q3. What is KPK full form?

KPK stands for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The province was known as North West Frontier Province (NWFP) from the colonial period until 2010, when it was officially renamed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through the 18th Constitutional Amendment.

Q4. What was the old name of KPK?

KPK was previously called the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), a name given during British colonial administration. Before that, Peshawar itself was known as Purushapura during the ancient Kushan period. The province was renamed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2010.

Q5. What is the best time to visit Peshawar?

The best time to visit Peshawar is between October and March. During these months, temperatures are comfortable, skies are generally clear, and both outdoor exploration and sightseeing are enjoyable. Summers are hot and dry, making them less ideal for extended outdoor activity.

Q6. What is the famous food of Peshawar?

Peshawar’s most iconic dish is chapli kabab, a flat minced beef patty fried in animal fat with tomatoes, coriander, and spices. Other famous foods include Namkeen Gosht, Peshawari Karahi, thick Peshawari naan baked in clay tandoors, and kehwa (traditional green tea with cardamom and almonds).

Q7. How far is Peshawar from Islamabad?

Peshawar is approximately 170 kilometers from Islamabad by road. Via the M-1 Motorway, the drive typically takes around 2 to 2.5 hours under normal traffic conditions.

Q8. Is Peshawar safe to visit?

Peshawar is generally safe to visit, and the security situation in the city has improved significantly over the past decade. The main tourist areas, bazaars, hotels, and landmarks are accessible and visited by domestic tourists in large numbers.

Q9. What is Qissa Khawani Bazaar?

Qissa Khawani Bazaar, which translates as the Bazaar of Storytellers, is one of Peshawar’s most historic and atmospheric markets. For centuries it served as a gathering point for caravans and traders coming through the Khyber Pass. Today it remains an active commercial street best experienced on foot in the evening.

Q10. What is the Peshawar BRT?

The Peshawar BRT, known as TransPeshawar or the Zu Bus, is Pakistan’s first fully operational Bus Rapid Transit system. It covers a 27-kilometer route from Chamkani to Hayatabad with 31 stations and air-conditioned buses on dedicated lanes.