Logaris in trouble as Taliban ban telecom services

PUL-I-ALAM (Pajhwok): The residents of central Logar province on Thursday complained about Taliban’s ban on mobile phone services across the province.

Abdullah, a resident of Dadokhel area of Pul-i-Alam, the provincial capital, told Pajhwok Afghan News that over the past ten days, telephone services were halted at night in the province including the capital.

“Telephone services do not work from 6pm to 5am, which is a serious problem for people,” he said.

Farid Ahmad, a resident of Ghaznikhel area of Mohammad Agha district, said that telephone services did not work in their district day and night over the past two months.

“Three months back, Taliban destroyed three mobile phone towers in the district and deprived us of telephone serive, the Taliban in other areas have restricted the service during night,” he said.

Sayed Ahmad Shah, a resident of Pangram area of Charkh district, told Pajhwok that Taliban had banned telephone services in the district since the last three months.

“Telephone services work sometimes in the day but never in night during the last three months,” he said.

“Few days back, my mother fell ill and we were at great trouble how to call a taxi as it was night and the telephone was not working,” he added.

Sayed Qaribullah Sadat, a provincial council member, also said that telephone services were not working in the whole of the province.

“Government officials can use other telecommunication means, but the public can’t and they only suffer,” he said.

Logar police spokesman, Shahpor Ahmadzai, confirmed the issue and said telephone services were suspended during night due to some technical problems.

“Taliban destroyed telephone antennas in many areas and that is the reason telephone services do not work at night,” he added.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, confirmed they had banned telephone services in Logar.

“The government and American intelligence agencies target Taliban centers during night using telecom companies,” he said.

“This problem will be solved soon but on the condition that telecom companies would not share data with the government,” he said.

The Taliban in some other parts of Afghanistan have also banned telephone services at night.

mds/ma

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