Wireless Telephone Facility in entire Azad Kashmir by Year's End
By Altaf Hamid Rao 'Pakistan Times' Kashmir Bureau Chief

MIRPUR (AJK): The telecommunication network has been fully revived in all earthquake-hit areas of Azad Jammu Kashmir in addition to the installation of Rs. One billion 25 new digital telephone exchanges in various parts of the liberated territory including remote and far flung areas to provide direct telecom access from AJK to rest of the world through the most modern telecom network.

The population of entire AJK would have the opportunity to enjoy wireless local loop (WLL) and mobile S.Com telephone facility by the end of this year.

This was disclosed by Sector Commander Special Communications Organization (SCO) AJK, Colonel Sohail Hamid while addressing news conference here Wednesday. Commanding Officer SCO Mirpur division Lt. Col. Farukh Saeed, Accounts Officer Telephone Revenue Major Altaf, Media Coordinator Shehzada Jehangeer and other SCO officials were also present on this occasion.

Col. Sohail continued that by now all 48 telephone exchanges including eleven major and remaining small exchanges in worst quake-hit areas including Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot and Bagh districts have so far been restored and they were functioning properly in tents and shelters. He said that since the building codes for the construction of quake-proof buildings have been approved, the existing tents and shelters covering the telephone exchanges were being replaced by the proper quake-proof buildings under a broad-based phased program.

The Sector Commander said that construction work for establishment of latest telephone exchange buildings in quake hit Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot and Bagh districts including in the top-mountainous remote areas has been stepped up for shifting the exchanges in the new buildings.

He said that since optic fiber cable network was totally smashed during earthquake of October 2005, a new network of the optic fiber in quake-hit areas including in the top mountainous Neelam and Leepa vallies was being spread. He was that these two top vallies were being linked with rest of the world through most expensive satellite system.

He said that complete revival of the destructive roads network in quake-hit Neelam and Leepa vallies were yet awaited for re-laying of the optic fiber cable network in these areas. Col. Sohail pointed out that since the soil in quake-hit areas in AJK changed its routine solid position after suffering history's worst catastrophe, it will take a hundred year for resettlement – as according to the soil expert. However, SCO will not lag behind to fully lay its fiber optic network in proposed top-mountainous and remote areas of AJK, he vowed.

Col. Sohail disclosed that work was in progress steadily to lay the digital telecom network in Keil and Leepa valley in Muzaffarabad on priority basis since satellite for these areas has been made available for the purpose. He said special attention was being paid to provide the latest telecom facilities in such far flung snow-clad areas including the most toughest Rashian in Leepa valley.

Elaborating other ongoing development projects launched by the SCO, the Sector Commander said that a latest digital telephone exchange in Malote town of Bagh district would start functioning from June 14. Similarly another smilar big exchange has been set up in Baloch town and it would be ready for formal functioning after about a month. He said that SCO was concentrating to provide latest digital telecom facilities across AJK especially in remote areas like Mirpura, Joora and Kundal Shahi like far flung areas of the quake-stricken Athmuqam district. He said that at present an extensive fiber optic cable network has been spread in most parts of AJK from Mirpur to Muzaffarabad district via Kotli and other areas falling in the way aimed at to provide quality telecom facilities to the masses.

Col. Sohail Hamid said that the existing wireless local loop telephone system (CDMA) and cellular – S Com. Telephone networks of SCO were being expanded steadfastly and the population of entire AJK will be able to enjoy these facilities by the end of this year. He said that existing 34 base transmission stations of the wireless phone as well as the base transmission stations of mobile S.Com phone were being raised to one hundred each across AJK, aspirants of the two quick telecom services throughout AJK would be able to enjoy these facilities by the end of this year – since work on both of the projects is underway with full pace, he added.●