MIANWALI, Sept 18: Thousands of local users are often not able to connect to the internet because of technical faults in the recently-installed ISP of Pakistan On-Line.

Earlier, users were provided internet access by Paknet, a sister company of the PTCL whose service was speedy.

Last month, the PTCL issued a press release to warn consumers against buying cashcards as Paknet was closing its business. On the following day, the PTCL closed its system, and as a result the POL earned record profit within a day or two.

According to some experts and internet clubowners, the POL has installed a single ISP and not hired well-educated staff, which results in frequent errors and disconnection of the internet.

Sources alleged that the PTCL divisional engineer telephones (DET) had a lion’s share in the POL and was trying to promote its business.

When contacted, DET Ghulam Shabbir Shah Khosa maintained that since the owners were locals and had invested a big amount in the company, he had been speaking in their favour.

Mazhar Abbas Khan, manager and one of POL partners, admitted that at the primary level there were faults, but added that these would be removed with the passage of time. However, despite passage of three months, the POL has not improved its service.

According to the PTCL policy, there should be at least two ISPs installed in each district and there should not be monopoly of a single company.

The closure of Paknet would be a huge loss to the PTCL. Local internet-users have appealed to the highups of PTCL not to close their project and give free hand to a single private company. Paknet should not close its circuit here till the arrival of another private company.