LASHKARGAH – Private telecommunication companies have suspended servicesin Helmand province for an indefinite period in compliance with orders fromthe Taliban, an official said Sunday, Pajhwok News has reported.
Omaidullah Zaheer, head of the Information and Telecommunication Department(ICD), told reporters in Lashkargah, the provincial capital, that thetelecommunication companies had stopped functioning since Saturday 5:00pm.
He said the government could not pressurize the private companies to resumetheir services. “If we put pressure on them, the Taliban may torch mobilesignal towers or other facilities”, he said.
Zaheer said currently 162 mobile towers were functional in the provincewhile 10 towers of Salaam — a state run telecommunication company —were always functional.
Provincial Council Head Attaullah Afghan said the private companies shouldprefer public demands instead of bowing to Taliban’s pressure.
“Businesses and common people are customers of the private telecomcompaniesbut these firms always accept Taliban’s demands”, he added.
He asked the government to deal with the private companies in line with thelaw over suspending their services on Taliban’s order.
Javed Khan, a resident of Lashkargah, confirmed telecom companies hadstopped services in the city since yesterday, creating problems for people.
The Taliban also confirmed the ban on mobile services in Lashkargah. Theirspokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said the move was taken to ensure security ofpeople.