KOHAT, Feb 27: Transporters have doubled the fares on Kohat-Hangu and Kohat-Parachinar routes. People have to travel to Kohat from Hangu to buy foodstuff because the Hangu bazaar remains closed because of curfew. Kohat serves as the main wholesale market for Hangu, which is surrounded by three tribal agencies, Orakzai Kurram and North Waziristan.

The bulk of food items to Kurram and Orakzai agencies is also supplied from Kohat.

After resuming the transport service under public pressure, the public transport owners are now charging Rs 80 as compared to the previous fare of Rs 30 for Kohat to Hangu. Interestingly, they charge Rs 60 from Hangu to Kohat to avoid long stay in Hangu.

Similarly, on the Kohat-Thall route they have raised the fare from Rs 60 to Rs 100. The transporters avoid passing through Hangu town and going from Kohat they use the Lachi route.

People going to Hangu are dropped outside the town on its western outskirts, from where they have to walk or hire another vehicle to reach their villages.

The army introduced a convoy system and escorted the public and private transport to pass through sensitive parts of Kohat where three trucks were burnt in reaction to the Feb 9 blast.

But, 98 per cent of people prefer to use the Lachi route, which is comparatively safe, but it is long and a large portion of the road is unmetalled portion.