KOHAT, Dec 3: Travel through the Hangu-Thall highway has become a nuisance for commuters as the contractor has left its construction work incomplete after he reportedly received calls from militants for paying extortion money.

The people have demanded of the government to deploy army troops along the highway for the workers’ safety and ask the contractor to quickly complete the road project.

The project costing Rs900 million would provide alternative route to Afghanistan from Punjab through Kohat and Parachinar. This highway would run parallel to Peshawar-Torkham highway. Earlier, it was expected to be completed by June 2012.

The environmental assessment survey of the project had been conducted by the Asian Development Bank and it was declared feasible in 2005. The 46 kilometres road from Khushalgarh to Kohat city has also been completed.

People of Orakzai Agency, Kurram Agency and Frontier Regions of Kohat and Bannu would also benefit from this project.

But work on the highway has hit snags due to groups of Taliban in Thall and near Kurram Agency border who reportedly depends on money from extortion and kidnapping for ransom.

KILLED: A woman was killed and nine passengers were injured when a coaster collided with an oil tanker on Indus Highway near Muslimabad here on Tuesday. —Correspondent