While Afghanistan's data protection framework is still developing, the Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) is the key body responsible for overseeing the telecommunications sector. The Law Regulating Telecommunication Services, 2005, outlines ATRA's functions, including protecting consumer rights and addressing privacy concerns. While not as extensive as GDPR, the principles of regulating service providers and user rights lay a foundation for privacy.
Telecommunication companies like Afghan Wireless (AWCC), Roshan, Etisalat Afghanistan, MTN Afghanistan, and Salaam Network operate within this regulatory environment. Like their global counterparts, they are bound by internal policies and, increasingly, by national directives to protect subscriber data. They do not publicly turkey phone number library release comprehensive lists of personal phone numbers.
The operational environment in Afghanistan presents unique challenges that further preclude the existence of a centralized, accessible phone number library:
Infrastructure Development: While mobile penetration has grown significantly, widespread fixed-line infrastructure is limited, and rural areas still face connectivity issues. This fragmented infrastructure makes a single, universally updated directory difficult to maintain.
Dynamic Subscriber Base: Mobile subscriber numbers can fluctuate, and keeping a real-time, accurate public directory updated for millions of users across diverse regions would be a monumental task.