PESHAWAR, Nov 24 The military operation in Michni and Mohmand Agency has brought economic activities to a complete halt in Shabqadar and adjacent areas.

During a visit to the area, local people told this scribe that about 62 marble factories, located on Shabqadar-Shno Ghondai Road, were closed, leaving hundreds of workers jobless.

“Every factory had at least 10 to 20 workers but all of them were sacked except the watchmen,” said Sher Shah, a villager. He said that customers had also stopped coming to the area owing to restrictions on movement of vehicles during curfews.

Another local, Aqal Khan of Shno Ghondai, said that they faced acute shortage of food items during the military operation as all the traffic remained suspended and shopkeepers in the adjacent areas had also kept their shops closed.

“We have never supported Taliban rather we have provided food to those armed persons, who have come to our houses by force as they did not disclose their intentions against police or anyone else,” he said.

He said all the villagers were ready to cooperate with army as most of them were poor farmers, who could not afford to join militants, adding that a Muslim should not kill his Muslim brethren.

Some shopkeepers at Shabqadar Bazaar said that Shabqadar-Tangi Road was closed about two weeks ago which had created communication problems for the people of various villages and Mohmand Agency.

They said that people were forced to reach their homes via Shabqadar-Battagram Road which was at least 12 kilometres long from the Shabqadar-Tangi Road.