KOHAT: A jirga of elders and local body members on Sunday flayed the authorities for raising the toll tax at the Kohat tunnel in violation of a mutual agreement reached between the administration, National Highway Authority, and contractor of the National Logistics Cell.

They criticised the revision of toll tax twice during the last two years.

It merits a mention here that in 2024, the tax had also been revised from Rs70 to Rs130 per car.

Approximately 32,000 vehicles cross the tunnel daily.

The jirga formed committees for holding talks with the authorities and also launch legal battles against `illegal toll tax` levied on private vehicles.

Chairman of all business grand alliance Haji Abid, chief of all Tajir Ittehad Ameer Khan Afridi, former district nazim Naseem Afridi, PTI MNA Shehryar Afridi, MPA Shafi Jaan, lawyers, politicians, and elders spoke at the jirga.

The participants rejected the rise in tax from Rs70 to Rs130 per vehicle.

They said as half of the 1.9km tunnel was located on the Kohat side and the other half fell in Darra Adamkhel tribal subdivision, private vehicles owned by people from these areas should be exempted from toll tax.

Commuters travelling to and from Darra Adamkhel, which is at a distance of only seven miles from Kohat, for purchasing vegetables and other necessities of life have to pay the toll tax several times a day. Correspondent