<p>GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Telecom services are suspended every night in many areas of southeastern Paktia province, complained residents on Thursday, demanding an early solution to the inconvenience.</p>
<p>The residents said telecom services were switched off at night over the past one month, but the government was yet to take any action in this regard.</p>
<p>Abdul Hadi, a resident of Gardez, the provincial capital, told Pajhwok Afghan News the suspension of telecom services at had been ongoing over the past few weeks and had created serious problems for them.</p>
<p>He accused provincial officials of failing to find solution to the issue and urged the central government to address it at the earliest.</p>
<p>“All telecommunications services stop working at night while the security situation in the province is also not good and families want to be in contact with relatives.”</p>
<p>Ajmal Masoodzai, a resident of Biland Manzal Township area of Gardez, said nowadays people used to resolve their problems on the telephone, but the service was available to them in Paktia for a short period of time.</p>
<p>He said since a month telecom services were not working and people were unable to contact their relatives and thus facing serious problems. He urged the Ministry of Telecommunications to pay attention to the issue.</p>
<p>Anwar Murad, a resident of Zurmat district, expressed similar views and said telecom services were suspended every night in many areas.</p>
<p>A number of other residents of Ahmadabad, Sayed Karam, Dand Patan and Zazai Aryub districts expressed similar views.</p>
<p>Provincial telecommunications department head Abdullah Totakhel also confirmed the matter and termed it a security issue. He said efforts were underway to resolve the issue as soon as possible.</p>
<p>However, Zabihullah Mujahid, a <a href="/en/taliban" class="glossify-link">Taliban</a> spokesman, admitted they forced telecom companies into switching off their antennas at night.</p>
<p>He said security forces used SIM cards during nighttime operations and therefore the Taliban had ordered telecom services to be suspended at night.</p>
<p>ma</p>
