PIR PANJAL RANGE

part of the western Punjab Himalayas, lying in northwestern India and northern Pakistan and extending southeastward for more than 200 mi (320 km) from the Kishanganga to the upper Be as river. Rising sharply to an average elevation of more than 13,000 ft (4,000 m), it separates the Jammu Hills to the south from the Vale of Kashmir, beyond which lie the Great Himalayas. The major passes through the range include the Pir Panjal (11,462 ft) and Banihal (8,985 ft); a highway tunnel near Banihal Pass makes the Vale of Kashmir accessible to traffic from the south, even in winter. The mountains extending to the north of the Kishanganga River in Pakistan are sometimes considered part of the range.