Burzil Pass

The Burzil Pass is an ancient mountain pass in northern Pakistan, and is part of the historic caravan route between the cities of Srinagar and Gilgit. The pass lies approximately 5 kilometres north of the administrative line between the Pakistani-administered territories of Gilgit−Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and some 30 kilometres north of the Line of Control, which serves as the de facto border between Pakistan and India in the disputed region of Kashmir. While the Burzil route ran freely through Jammu and Kashmir during British rule in India, it was largely closed off in major sections by Pakistan following the First Kashmir War, which saw the division by a ceasefire line of the former princely state and the start of an ongoing territorial conflict over the region. The crest of the pass is wide and covered with lush alpine grass vegetation during the summertime. The Astore River originates from the western slopes of the Burzil Pass. ()