Laghman’s Sao valley lacks access to telecom services

MEHTARLAM (Pajhwok): Residents of Sao Valley in Alingar district of eastern Laghman province say they have long been struggling with serious problems in the absence of telecom services.

But officials say telecommunication services will be extended to Sao Valley in near future.

Malik Afzal Khan Fazli, a resident of Mandapal area of the valley, said the residents of this area face various challenges due to lack of telecommunication services.

“We have shared this issue several times with local government officials, but in vain,” Fazli complained.

A tribal leader Malik Khan Jan of Bailum area said, we walk for hours to reach a mountain top, catch signal and make a telephone call.

He also said they had shared the issue with Pajhwok Afghan News in the past as well, but government officials did nothing to solve it.

Malik Sarbaz, another tribal leader from Khoji Qala area, said: “The number of families in Mir Gul Kala, Sami Kala, Khoji Kala, Mandapal, Shakmosh Ulia, Shakmosh Sufla, Kontagul Kala, Setan Kala, Kala Taka and Bailum Kala is about 10,000. The valley still has no telecommunication antenna at all.”

Meanwhile, local officials accept telecom services do not exist in the area, but assure the issue will be addressed soon.

Maulvi Azizullah Haqqani, head of Telecommunication and Information Technology department, told Pajhwok, the issue had already been shared with the Afghanistan Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (ATRA). He said ten antennas will be installed in this area by Salaam Company under the Telecom Development Fund (TDF) program.

The survey of all areas including Sao Valley that lack telecom services has been completed and practical and technical work on extension of such services will be launched in near future, Haqqani said.

Pajhwok shared the issue of telecom services in this area with government officials two months ago and residents of Sao Valley say it remains unsolved.

aw/ma