LAHORE: Abbas Shakoor, a senior citizen, visited a department store at Fortress Stadium and bought household items worth Rs9,000 keeping in view the needs of Eidul Azha. He offered a credit card for payment. But he was told to pay in cash as the credit card machine was not operational because of suspension of the PTCL internet service.

“I don’t have cash. I told the cashier who then advised me to better arrange it or leave the items here. I said that I had spent two to three hours in collecting things and now you are asking me to arrange cash. It is not my problem if your machine is not working.” The cashier said candidly: “It was neither the outlet’s problem. Ask PTCL to restore the service,” the cashier replied.

“I telephoned a close friend and talked about the problem I was in. He bailed me out by clearing my bill after reaching there in one-and-a-half hour,” Shakoor told Dawn.

Businessman Murtaza Ali had a heated argument with a banker in Gulberg over transfer of Rs25,000 to his son in Islamabad because the internet was not working. Azeem Rafique, an engineering student, could not submit his assignment to his institution as PTCL EVO and wireless connections were not working. Elementary schoolteacher Razia Khawar could not withdraw her salary through ATM because of the same problem.

Similarly, many motorists were witnessed arguing with staff at filling stations after they were returned their credit cards and told to pay in cash as the PTCL internet service was not available. These people are among thousands of those who continued suffering in different parts of Punjab, especially in Lahore, during the last three days as the PTCL internet remained suspended on the third consecutive day on Tuesday. And the irony of the matter is there has been no official word as to how long it will take to resolve the issue.

Be it the banks, stock exchange, airlines, railways, private businesses, help-lines of different organisations, education sector or the media industry, all have been badly affected after the equipment at main PTCL exchange on Egerton Road was damaged due to fire on early Sunday.

Some banks that only had PTCL internet connection rushed to get another from some private company. “Yesterday we faced serious problems in online transactions. Some frustrated customers vent their anger at us after their online transactions failed. Today our management decided to get an alternate connection from another company to deal with the problem,” an employee of a private bank in Gulberg told Dawn. He proposed the banking sector should not bank on one company for internet connectivity as such a situation might arise again.

All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) Punjab former chairman Shahzad Ali Khan said the business community in Lahore was facing problems in electronic communication and online cash transactions because of suspension of PTCL internet services.

Meanwhile, A PTCL spokesman claimed in most areas partial or full internet connectivity had been restored. “We regret the inconvenience (caused) to our customers because of the fire incident. The PTCL technical teams are working relentlessly with full dedication to restore the affected services in the shortest possible time. The restoration is in progress and will be completed soon,” he added.

Meanwhile, the land line service of the PTCL has been restored partially in Lahore.

Published in Dawn, October 1st , 2014