NAUSHAHRO FEROZE, Jan 7: About 2,500 PTCL phone numbers and 2,000 wireless numbers, which had gone dead in the district since rioters burnt down seven telephone exchanges during disturbances following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto on Dec 27, are still not functioning.

The exchanges in Naushahro Feroze, Bhirya Road, Lakha Road, Darya Khan Mari, Kotri Kabir, Kalhora Station and Khan Wahan were set on fire. Media tower (Optical), MDF (Main Distribution Frame) system, wireless phone system and main store in Naushahro Feroze exchange were completely gutted as well as the installations of two private mobile connection providers.

With communication system down, the towns’ links with outside world through railway and highway were also severed after burning of railway stations in Padidan, Lakha Road, Darya Khan Mari, Mehrabpur, burning of Pakistan Express at Mehrabpur station and a large number of trucks, trailers, buses and other vehicles on the National Highway.

Two technical teams from Sukkur and Nawabshah including Nizamuddin Bhutto, a cable jointer, Mohammad Zafar Qureshi and Rano Khan were busy working in the damaged exchanges to restore the system.

Mukhtiar Ali Solangi, in-charge of technical staff at Naushahro Feroze exchange and cable jointer Nizamuddin said that they had been trying to restore the system since last six days and expressed the hope that it would be restored by Friday.

The fire had damaged a portion of the building and caused the roofs of two rooms to collapse. Ten bullets also hit the main gate of the exchange during riots.