<p><a href="/en/afganistan/kabul" class="glossify-link">KABUL</a> (Pajhwok): Following the high price of internet, people in capital Kabul on Saturday shut the gate to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT).</p>
<p>On February 17, civil <a href="/en/society" class="glossify-link">society</a> activists in the capital lashed out at the high Internet rate and warned of staging a sit-in if the rate was not reduced by 50 percent.</p>
<p>Earlier, Acting Minister Fahim Hashimi said that one GB Internet cost telecom firms nine afghanis but they sold it for 180 afghanis.</p>
<p>A number of civil society activists staged a rally today and shut the gate to the ministry for what called MCIT failure to honour its promise.</p>
<p>Bismillah Hamdard, head of a civil society organisation, told Pajhwok Afghan News they had shared the problem with the authorities concerned but no action had been taken so far.</p>
<p>He alleged the telecom companies provided low-quality Internet in the name of 4G at an inordinately high price. Hamdard said civil society activists closed the gate at 7am, warning they would continue their protest until their demand was met.</p>
<p>Jahanzeb Weesa said they had no personal demand from the ministry. “Ours is a public demand. Most of the people have no access to the Internet. The facility provided by telecom firms is of a low quality.”</p>
<p>Weesa claimed the telecom firms were working against people’s right but the ministry remained silent.</p>
<p>Syed Mansour Hamid, spokesman for MCIT, said an official of the ministry met the protestors and discussed the problems. The officials promised meeting their demands.</p>
<p>sa/mud</p>
