Residents of southeastern Paktika province say telecommunication services have long been not available in nine districts where people are facing problems as a result.
Gayan, Nika, Zeruk, Gomal, Omna, Wazakhwa, Terva, Warwami and Khoshamand are the districts where telecommunication services have long been suspended.
Mohammad Sadiq, a resident of Terva district, said telecom services had been absent in the district for the past few years due to the conflict. “In this 21st century, we are deprived of telecommunication services,” he said.
In other parts of Paktika, people communicate on mobile phones, but in most areas of Paktika, people have been deprived of the facility.
Noorullah, a resident of Gomal district, said mobile phone services did not exist in their district.
“This is a huge problem. People can face with a health emergency during night or any other problem for which mobile phone is very helpful which is not available here.”
Gul Mohammad, a resident of Sharana, the provincial capital, said mobile phone services were not available in half of Paktika districts.
“We cannot contact our friends who live in districts, until we travel there or anyone comes from district to Sharana.”
Provincial Council member Aziz Aziz said most of Paktika districts lacked telecommunication services.
“We don’t know what problems people of these districts are facing. They have always complained regarding the lack of mobile phone services in their areas and we have shared these problems with the officials concerned,” he said.
Eslah Hashami, the Telecommunication and Information Technology Director, said telecom services were not available in nine Paktika districts.
“The big problem is insecurity. Telecommunication companies fearing damage to their installations so they don’t dare to start their services there. First, the security problem should be resolved so these companies resume their services,” he said.
He said problems and issues faced by residents had been shared with the Telecommunications Ministry and Afghanistan Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (ATRA) and they had vowed to resolve them.
While people in Sharana and districts where telecommunication services are available say they are not happy with the services.
