Abstract
District Tank is the extreme northwestern part of the Gomal Valley in the North-West Frontier Province
(hereafter NWFP), which is presently a barren land without any perennial source of water, occasionally
flooded by a number of hill torrents in the rainy seasons of February, March and July, and August.
The Gomal River (locally called Luni), Takwara and Rud Suheli Nallahs are the main sources of water
apart from Tank and Gomal Zarns. However, the water from these sources is insufficient for agricultural
purposes. Similarly, the underground saline and sour water is a further obstacle in the development of
agriculture. Mountains on the north and west sides and the plain from the south and east geographically
border the district. The Bhittani hills on the north separate the district from Bannu region whereas it
is bordered on the west by the Waziristan hills. The Bain Darrah in the Bhittani hills provides access
to the Banuchi area Oochi Valley). To the south and east, it is open to the plain area of Dera Ismail
Khan (hereafter DI Khan) District. The important feature of the region is a series of passes (District
Gazetteer 1883-84: 3), which are connecting the region to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Caravans
packed with trading goods, pilgrims and trespassers from Central Asia have been using these passes since
long ago.
IHSAN ALI, ZAKIRULLAH JAN . (2009) Archaeological Explorations in the Gomal Valley: The Third Phase 2004 - District Tank , Pakistan Heritage, Volume 1, Issue 1.
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