it ical ▁significance ▁for ▁E uras ian ▁trade . ▁ ▁Through out ▁history , ▁it ▁has ▁been ▁an ▁important ▁trade ▁route ▁between ▁Central ▁Asia ▁and ▁the ▁Indian ▁sub cont inent ▁and ▁a ▁vital ▁strateg ic ▁military ▁cho ke ▁point ▁for ▁various ▁states ▁that ▁came ▁to ▁control ▁it . ▁The ▁sum mit ▁of ▁the ▁pass ▁is ▁ ▁inside ▁Pakistan ▁at ▁Land i ▁K otal , ▁while ▁the ▁lowest ▁point ▁is ▁at ▁Jam r ud ▁in ▁the ▁Valley ▁of ▁P esh aw ar . ▁The ▁K hy ber ▁Pass ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁Asian ▁Highway ▁ 1 ▁( A H 1 ). ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Well - known ▁invas ions ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁have ▁been ▁pre domin antly ▁through ▁the ▁K hy ber ▁Pass , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁invas ions ▁by ▁C yrus , ▁D arius ▁I , ▁G eng his ▁Khan ▁and ▁later ▁Mong ols ▁such ▁as ▁Du wa , ▁Q ut l ugh ▁Kh w aja ▁and ▁K eb ek . ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁K ush an ▁era , ▁the ▁K hy ber ▁Pass ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁widely ▁used ▁trade ▁route . ▁▁ ▁The ▁K hy ber ▁Pass ▁became ▁a ▁critical ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Sil k ▁Road , ▁which ▁connected ▁Shang hai ▁in ▁the ▁East ▁to ▁C ád iz ▁on ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Spain . ▁The ▁Par th ian ▁Empire ▁fought ▁for ▁control ▁of ▁passes ▁such ▁as ▁this ▁to ▁gain ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁sil k , ▁j ade , ▁rh ub ar b , ▁and ▁other ▁lux uries ▁moving ▁from ▁China ▁to ▁Western ▁Asia