Heratis uneasy with no telecom services at night

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Some residents of western Herat province on Tuesday complained telecom services are suspended every night in many districts, urging an early solution to the inconvenience.

Mohammad, a resident of Shindad district, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the suspension of telecom services at night had created serious problems for residents.

He said due to serious security threats the telecom services were suspended from 6pm to 7am on a daily basis.

A resident of the Pashton Zarghon district, who wished to go unnamed, told Pajhwok telecom services were not available in their town at nighttime and no one could contact their relatives or family’ members.

He added, “If we have a patient, we cannot call a taxi or a doctor and even cannot contact security officials about a security incident or crime due to the blackout.”

Kamran Alizaee, the provincial council head, also expressed concern over the suspension of telecom services and switching off antennas at night and urged an early solution to the issue.

Meanwhile, provincial Telecommunications and Information Technology department head Ashaqullah Alezaee said Taliban’s threats against telecom services had increased and had a negative impact on their services.

He said telephone communications were cut off at night in Ghorian, Pashtun Zarghun, Cheshti-i-Sharif and Obe districts due to security woes.

He said if telecommunication antennas were secured at night, the telecom networks would be active, but there was no guarantee that the high cost antennas would not be damaged.

Meanwhile, Jilani Farhad, the governor’s spokesman, told Pajhwok that security forces were ready to provide security to mobile phone towers, but the problem was in Farah province and has a direct impact on antennas in Herat.

pk/ma