Kabul activists demand 50pc cut in internet price

KABUL activists in capital Kabul on Monday criticized the high rate of internet and warned of staging a sit-in protest if the internet prices were not reduced by half.

Recently, Acting Minister of Telecommunication and Information Technology Fahim Hashimi that one GB internet cost telecom firms nine afghanis but they sold it for 180 afghanis.

The minister had said the internet price would be decreased by 37 percent within next two weeks throughout the country for homes and offices.

In response, dozens of civil society activists and a number of citizens gathered in Shahr-i-Naw Park on Monday and demanded a 50 percent decrease in the internet price.

Khalil Shankar, head of a civil society group, said no action could be taken since the minister promised reduction in the internet price 14 days ago.

The MoTIT had several times announced decreasing internet prices; but telecom firms did not comply with.

He warned of erecting tents in front of the four private firms (Etisalat, Roshan, AWCC and MTN) if the internet price was not decreased by 50 percent within one week.

Abdul JabarAkbari, a civil activist, said they had shared the high-internet price issue with 100 members of parliament but to no avail.

Other protestors held similar views and called for 50 percent decrease in internet price within one week.

“People are not happy with quality and activities of telecom firms but the internet price is 20 percent higher than its standard,” a regulation letter the protestors issued read. It claimed telecom firms stole credit from SIM cards.

The protestors urged the government to improve quality of internet service and decrease its price

Meanwhile, Hamid Mansour, MoTIT spokesman, confirmed to Pajhwok that the ministry had set telecom firms a 14-day deadline to reduce internet rate, but they sought more time to evaluate and decrease the price.

He said the ministry had now given telecom firms next week as deadline to decrease the internet price.

sa/ma