TANK Security forces flattened an entire bazaar in the district demolishing over 700 shops and hotels without serving prior notice on the owners, affected people complained here on Saturday.
The destroyed Jandola bazaar was situated adjacent to the restive South Waziristan tribal region.
The damaged property mostly belonged to the Bhittani tribe. The bazaar was known for smuggled items including electronic goods and garments.
The locals had given the land on lease to the British government before the Partition for construction of a fort, which is currently under the control of paramilitary forces.
The lease agreement had expired and people had set up business outlets there about four years ago.
Security forces, backed by armoured personnel carriers and bulldozers, launched the demolition operation on Friday and the entire bazaar was razed to the ground.
'Only a small mosque has been spared and rest of the bazaar has been demolished,' said Rifatullah Bhittani whose garments shop was also destroyed during the operation.
He complained that the local administration had neither served notices on the shopkeepers nor they were provided opportunity to take out goods from shops before launching the operation.
'The government has rendered thousands of people jobless and peaceful people have been victimised,' he said.
Meanwhile, the district coordination officer Tank, when approached, refused to comment on the issue, saying that they were bound not to give direct statements to the media.
Owners of the demolished business outlets said that the brigade commander of the forces had assured them during a meeting on April 25 that their properties would not be demolished and security forces would shift from the fort.
Mustafa Kamal, ex-serviceman, said that the Bhittani tribe had given about 120 kanals of land to the British government on lease for construction of the fort for security forces. The government was paying Rs600 rent per month to the tribe.
Sources said that the security forces demolished the bazaar due to security reasons. The town had witnessed suicide and bomb attacks during the past few months.
'On one hand the government is seeking help from the tribal people against Baitullah Mehsud (Taliban leader) while on the other hand their properties are being demolished,' said a notable of the tribe.
The affected people have set up a protest camp at the Tank Public Park against the demolition of the bazaar.
They protesters had displaced banners inscribed with slogans demanding alternative site for establishing a new bazaar or 'leave the fort'.
'Reconstruct Jandola bazaar otherwise tribesmen would migrate to Afghanistan,' says a banner at the protest camp.
The affected businessmen said that they would stage protest demonstrations in front of the Governor House Peshawar and Parliament House Islamabad if their demands were not materialised.
