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Businessmen resent abrupt phone cut-off

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: The abrupt disconnection of telephones of businessmen without any notice by the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd. (PTCL) is seriously affecting trade activities, complain exporters.

M. Iqbal Mangrani, Chairman, Pakistan Cloth Merchants Association (PCMA) Southern Zone, said in a statement that the PTCL had been disconnecting telephones even if payment was delayed for a few days and that too without giving any warning or notice to the subscribers.

He pointed out that it was universal practice that the telephones were not disconnected without any warning since communications systems comprising telephones and fax, etc were very vital for day-to-day business and trade activities.

The PCMA zonal chief suggested that atleast 24 hours notice be given to the subscribers through recorded messages on their telephones in order to avoid sudden disruption and loss of business. He also resented the lengthy and painful procedure of restoration of phones which sometime, took days causing great hardships to the business community. The disconnected phones should be usually restored on receipt of a fax of the paid bill, he suggested.

Mangrani also pointed to another defect of the telephone system which allowed some subscribers to only receive calls but they were not able to make any call which was again very disturbing. He urged the PTCL authorities to rectify this situation immediately.