KOHAT, Oct 5: A tribe of Darra Adamkhel, frontier region of Kohat, has hoisted black flags atop their houses to protest against the non-payment of compensation by the National Highway Authority (NHA) for excavating the Kotal Tunnel, half of which lies in the mountain owned by them.

The elders of Sheraki Bashkhel tribe have been demanding the compensation for the last one year.

Earlier, the NHA had paid Rs80 million to different tribes of Darra Adamkhel for the construction of Darra bypass which has now been completed.

Kotal Tunnel Project Director Engineer Pervez Gul told Dawn on Thursday that the government had decided not to accept the illegal demands of the tribesmen.

“It is very queer that the tribesmen are demanding money for a facility which has been provided to them after spending billions of rupees”, he added.  

“The tunnel project is the most beneficial for the tribesmen of Darra Adamkhel, for which they are demanding compensation, and that too for the excavation carried out miles away from the residential area,” he remarked.

The project director also said the Darra tribes had also been demanding exemption from toll tax to be collected from the vehicles passing through the tunnel on the Indus Highway, but it was not possible.

A few months ago the tribesmen had also blocked traffic on the Indus Highway and attacked government property to press the government to accept their demands.

The political authorities informed Dawn that talks were continuing between the NHA and the tribesmen for the peaceful resolution of the issue.