Total population
1,234,661 2023 Census
Kohat District
Kohat District, the headquarters of Kohat Division, spans 2,991 km² and has a 2023 population of 1,234,661. As the division’s economic hub, it is driven by oil and gas production, cement manufacturing, mining, and light industries, including textiles, carpets, Kohati chappals, and mazri-palm handicrafts. Despite its economic importance, the district faces urban traffic congestion, water shortages, and overstretched healthcare services due to referrals from surrounding merged districts. This page summarises district statistics, services, and priority development challenges.
Basic information
Total area
2,991 km²
Administrative units
4 tehsils · 23 union councils
Administrative scale
Indicators
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Total population (2023 Census) | 1,234,661 |
| Total area | 2,991 km² |
| Tehsils | 04 |
| Union councils | 23 |
| Police stations | 13 |
| Civil courts | 21 |
Villages count is not stated in available source data for Kohat district.
Educational institutions
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| Primary schools (boys/girls) | 800 (431/369) |
| Middle schools (boys/girls) | 106 (51/55) |
| High schools (boys/girls) | 93 (61/32) |
| Higher-secondary schools (boys/girls) | 25 (16/9) |
| Mosque schools | 03 |
| Total govt. schools (incl. former FR Kohat) | 1,027 |
| Colleges | 6 degree + 2 PG + 2 cadet + 1 polytechnic + 1 commerce + 1 homeopathic + 1 law + 1 medical |
| Universities | 2 — KUST; Preston University campus |
| Private schools | 112 primary + 155 middle-to-higher-sec. |
Hospitals & health facilities
| Facility type | Count |
|---|---|
| Hospitals (beds) | 7 (522) |
| Dispensaries | 17 |
| Rural Health Centers (beds) | 4 (88) |
| Basic Health Units | 29 |
| Sub-Health Centers | 03 |
| Leprosy clinic | 01 |
| TB clinic | 01 |
| Private medical practitioners | 54 |
Named hospitals: Liaquat Memorial Hospital (LMH), KDA Hospital, and KDA Teaching Hospital / KMU Institute — the division’s only teaching/specialized hospital.
Police stations
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Police stations (district total) | 13 |
Stations: Billitang, Cantt, City, Gumbat, Jangle Khel, Jarma, KDA, Lachi, MRS (Saddar), PS Darra, PS Jawaki, Shakardara, Usterzai.
Civil courts
| Tehsil | Civil courts |
|---|---|
| Kohat Tehsil | 15 |
| Lachi Tehsil | 06 |
| Total | 21 |
Priority issues & challenges
1. Road infrastructure
Urban traffic congestion and deteriorating link roads connecting suburban areas to Kohat city; heavily loaded commercial vehicles cause continuous wear and tear.
2. Water crisis
Arid conditions and growing population demand have led to severe water shortfalls in key tehsils like Lachi and central urban sectors, alongside deteriorating pipeline delivery networks.
3. Health
Liaquat Memorial and KDA Hospitals exist, but high patient volumes from surrounding merged districts strain bed capacity, emergency services, and specialist care.
4. Unemployment
Lack of large-scale manufacturing hubs leaves educated and uneducated youth with limited formal job opportunities beyond civil service, small trade, and agriculture.
5. Environmental challenges
Improper municipal solid waste disposal, ineffective sewage treatment systems, and industrial effluent discharge degrade local land and water streams.