Time for Provincial Status

Kohat Division, with a population of 3.75 million and an area of 12,377 km², is larger than over 60 countries in population, including New Zealand and Qatar, and 35 in land area, including Cyprus and Lebanon. Despite sitting atop major oil, gas, and gypsum reserves that fuel Pakistan’s economy, it receives less than 6% of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s development budget. Around 41% of its population lives in multidimensional poverty, 32% of children are out of school, and an estimated 12,000–15,000 crime and militancy-related cases are reported annually, reflecting persistent administrative neglect and underdevelopment.

Key Socio-Economic Indicators
Population below the Poverty Line 41%
Lacking Basic Health Facilities 38%
Literacy Rate 53%
Lacking Road Connectivity 24%
No Access to Safe Drinking Water 43%
No Drainage and Sanitation 52%
Children Stunted Growth (under five) 40%
Youth Unemployment 22%
Annually Registered Crime Cases 13,500
Development Budget Allocation of KPK (2025-26) 5.8%
Population below the Poverty Line in Kohat Division — 41%
Lacking Basic Health Facilities in Kohat Division — 38%
Literacy Rate in Kohat Division — 53%
Lacking Road Connectivity in Kohat Division — 24%
No Access to Safe Drinking Water in Kohat Division — 43%
No Drainage and Sanitation in Kohat Division — 52%
Children Stunted Growth in Kohat Division — 40%
Youth Unemployment in Kohat Division — 22%
Annually Registered Crime Cases in Kohat Division — 13,500
Development Budget Allocation of KPK for Kohat Division — 5.8%
05
Districts
17
Tehsils
3,752,436
Population (Census 2023)
12,377
Land Area (km²)

Key Challenges

Kohat Division is grappling with deep-rooted challenges, from overstretched healthcare and poor sanitation to unsafe drinking water, low educational attainment, unemployment, and chronic underinvestment, collectively undermining public health and economic development.

  • Health Overload:
    Healthcare facilities are overstretched, with major hospitals facing critical shortages of specialist staff and lacking 24/7 diagnostic services such as CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasound.
  • Education Shortfalls:
    The division has an average literacy rate of just 53%, dropping further in Orakzai and Kurram. A 1:43 primary student-teacher ratio and a shortage of higher secondary and technical institutions leave 32% of children out of school.
  • Sewerage Pollution:
    Poor sewerage infrastructure and waste management allow sewage to mix with stormwater, creating stagnant pools that fuel seasonal outbreaks of waterborne and vector-borne diseases.
  • Drinking Water:
    Access to safe drinking water remains inadequate, with urban water systems facing a daily shortfall of over 5.5 million gallons.
  • Employment Challenges:
    Despite being KP’s energy hub with significant oil, gas, and gypsum reserves, the division has a 22% youth unemployment rate due to a lack of local industrial processing.
  • Budget Allocation:
    Kohat Division receives just 5.8% of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s FY 2025–26 development budget, despite its substantial infrastructure and development needs.
Key challenges in Kohat Division — everyday life, livelihoods, and local community

Governance Deficits

Poverty Rate

Compared to Peshawar, Kohat is facing a much deeper poverty challenge.

Kohat Division
41%
Peshawar Division
18%

Poor Road Infrastructure

Kohat’s transport infrastructure is severely dilapidated, with the Indus Highway and links to Hangu and Parachinar heavily damaged for years by heavy oil, gas, and quarry truck traffic.

Drinking Water

Kohat Division faces a much worse drinking water and infrastructural crisis than Peshawar Division.

Outdated or Contaminated Water Infrastructure

Kohat Division
58%
Peshawar Division
32%

Sewerage Overload

Kohat Division faces lower operational efficiency of sewerage and municipal disposal networks compared to Peshawar.

Functional Drainage and Waste Management Coverage

Kohat Division
48%
Peshawar Division
72%

Health Indicators

Stunted Growth & Wasting

Child malnutrition, including stunting and wasting, is significantly worse across the Kohat Division.

Stunted

Kohat Division
40%
Peshawar District
33%

Wasting

Kohat Division
11.2%
Peshawar District
8.1%

Beds per 1,000 people

The operational availability of functional hospital beds is considerably lower across Kohat Division.

Kohat Division
0.38
Peshawar District
1.15

Teaching & Specialized Hospitals

Peshawar serves as the medical hub of the province, leaving Kohat Division with a severe deficit of tertiary care networks.

Kohat Division
1
Peshawar District
14

Child Health Crisis

The child health and survival situation across the frontier districts of Kohat Division.

Infant Mortality (per 1,000 live births)

Kohat Division
68
Peshawar District
44

Child Mortality (Under-5, per 1,000 live births)

Kohat Division
82
Peshawar District
53

Health Professionals per 1,000

The skilled medical workforce (physicians, nurses, and midwives) is extremely weak in Kohat Division.

Kohat Division
0.45
Peshawar District
1.62

Education Shortfalls

Out of School Children

Kohat Division faces a significantly greater crisis regarding out-of-school children than Peshawar.

Kohat Division
32%
Peshawar District
19%

Net Enrolment Rate

Kohat Division struggles with a much deeper education gap in net enrolment than the capital.

Kohat Division
53%
Peshawar District
74%

Access to Schools

Limited physical access to educational institutions remains a serious concern in Kohat Division.

Kohat Division
61%
Peshawar District
88%

Judicial Stats

Peshawar High Court

At the Peshawar High Court, approximately 3,850 cases pertaining to the Kohat Division are pending, constituting roughly 8.1% of the total high court pendency. Because Kohat does not have its own dedicated permanent High Court Bench.

Lower Courts (Kohat Division)

In the lower courts of the Kohat Division (comprising Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Kurram, and Orakzai districts), 6,420 criminal cases and 7,080 civil cases are currently pending.

Consequently, the total number of pending cases in the lower courts of the Kohat Division amounts to 13,500.

Annually Registered Crime Cases

On average, approximately 15,000 crime and militancy-related cases are registered annually across the districts of the Kohat Division.

Global Comparison:

  • Pakistan: 241.5 million people with 04 provinces
  • India: Had 9 states at independence; now has 37. New states are created every five years, doubling the pace of development.
  • China: 1.4 billion people with 31 provinces.
  • USA: 320 million people with 50 states.
  • Indonesia: 275 million people with 34 provinces.
  • Russia: 142 million people with 70 to 75 provinces.

More Videos

Chat with Us