MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): In a groundbreaking development, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has allowed mobile services by companies other than the Special Communication Organization (SCO) in Neelum Valley, Haveli Kahuta, and Jhelum Valley.
The government has issued formal instructions to the Deputy Commissioners of the concerned districts regarding the installation of new mobile towers.
According to a letter issued by the Secretariat of Information and Technology, the decision was taken to improve the quality and coverage of mobile and internet services across Azad Kashmir.
The matter was discussed in several meetings held during the previous and current months at the Information Technology Department and other offices in Muzaffarabad and Murree.
The letter states that, to ensure better mobile coverage, the provision of new towers and the extension of fiber optic infrastructure, it has been decided that all mobile companies, along with officials of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), district administration, and other relevant government departments, including representatives of SCO, will conduct a joint survey in the initial phase.
The joint survey will identify suitable locations in areas of Neelum, Haveli, and Jhelum Valley where mobile service coverage and quality are currently poor. The schedule for the survey will be prepared by the PTA in coordination with all mobile companies.
In this regard, the PTA Regional Office Muzaffarabad has issued a schedule for the survey of the three districts, which will commence from January 12, 2026, starting with one of the districts while keeping weather conditions in view.
The PTA has appointed Mr. Nuklin Satti, Assistant Engineer, as the focal person for coordination. He will oversee the movement and planning of the joint survey teams. The letter also directs that representatives from the Forest Department and Local Government should be included in the survey teams.
Deputy Commissioners have been asked to nominate a focal person from the district administration, coordinate closely with the PTA focal person, and provide all necessary facilitation to ensure the successful completion of the joint survey, so that mobile and internet connectivity issues in these districts can be resolved at the earliest.
