PESHAWAR: Inspector General of Frontier Corps South Major General Azhar Abbasi laid the foundation of Jandola market construction which was destroyed during war against militants.
During the ceremony, media was told that in the first phase, a total of 188 shops will be constructed by Pak army and will be handed over to local traders after completion. The Tribal subdivision Jandola market was demolished in South Waziristan in 2009 during Operation Rah-e-Najat against terrorists.
Thousands of people were associated with the markets and after its demolition, the local shopkeepers were faced financial problems for not having a business, especially after they returned to their native area from Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps after the restoration of peace.
But local shopkeepers didn’t give up and continued their cooperation with the Pak army and finally, IGFC Major General Azhar Iqbal Abbasi inaugurated construction on Jandola Bazaar.
IGFC was accompanied by Sector Commander Brigadier Imtiaz Hussain, Khattak Scouts Commandant Azhar Ali, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Fahad Wazir, and area tribal elders, social activists and a large number of Bethani tribal elders. They thanked government for launching construction work on the market that will provide jobs to locals.
In 2009, some 700 shops and hotels were destroyed affecting thousands of people, who were left with no option but to only complain about the non-availability of their source of income. The destroyed Jandola bazaar was located adjacent to the South Waziristan tribal region. The damaged property mostly belonged to the Bhittani tribal people. The bazaar was famous for smuggled items including electronic goods and garments.
The affected tribal people had also set up a protest camp at against the demolition of the market and had demanded the government for compensation and an alternative site for establishing a new bazaar where the war-affected people can start their business.
