Ashraf Ghani. PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
As only two candidates are now in the battle for the highest position in Afghanistan, ethnicity is seen as the major decisive factor in today’s election runoff, following some controversial statements by campaigners to win voter support.
Afghans go to the polls for the second time in nearly three months to choose a new leader who will replace the long-serving President Hamid Karzai at a sensitive time when foreign forces are nearing exit.
The polls, which mark the first-ever transfer of power in the country’s history, are in a run-off stage after none of the candidates in the first round of vote, held on April 5, achieved the 50 per cent plus one needed to win.
Two leading candidates from that round, former foreign minister Dr Abdullah Abdullah and former finance minister Dr Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, are competing in the second round. Abdullah had won 45 per cent of the vote in April while Ghani had secured 31.6 per cent.
Both candidates have vowed to pursue good relations with Pakistan if elected to power.
An important development this week was Qutbuddin Hilal, the Hizb-e-Islami-backed presidential candidate, joining Dr Ghani – a decision strongly condemned by the party leadership.
“We have boycotted the second round as policies of both the leading candidates are completely against Hizb-e-Islami as they are in favour of the presence of foreign troops, foreign military bases and signing the controversial security pact with the US,” Hizb-e-Islami’s head of Political Commission Dr Ghairat Baheer told The Express Tribune on Friday. He accused Hilal of changing loyalties for his “personal interests” as he had earlier promised to obey the party’s decision.
Security will be the main challenge for the polls and Afghan Army Chief Gen Sher Mohammad Karimi has said a nearly 190,000-strong force of security personnel is on alert.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 14th, 2014.
COMMENTS (7)
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@Ahmed Saeed: Those that should be hearing your line are still busy rearing snakes in their backyard.
@unbelievable: And Pakistan is suffering.
Afghans will never be friends to Pakistan. Let us not challenge history. Who ever sit in Afghanistan will work against Pakistan. Wish some one here understand the line.
Kudos to Afghanistan - a peaceful transition of govt is something that Pakistan has only completed once since 1947. Afghan's have had a taste of freedom : TV, Internet, voting, women in schools, and the ability to voice their opinions without fear of public executions - Taliban and their foreign masters aren't going to be welcomed back.
@Khan: Even Abdullah Abdullah is not a full Tajik, he's Pashtun on his father's side, and in Afghan traditions, he is considered Pashtun. A Tajik can never dream of becoming Prime Minister in Afghanistan.
Whatever man, once Americans leave, the Taliban will be back :) Only a matter of time!
Absolutely wrong analysis and wrong perception of Afghans. Enemies of every nation will be trying to show false image of the nation. And will be trying to divide and rule which is not going to work anymore in Afghanistan. Neighboring counties of Afghanistan used this tool since 1990’s and will trying as much as they can but younger generation of Afghanistan is not that much stupid as the ones who sold their selves for a vehicle and some financial benefits from their Black bosses. Eg Pashtun are voting for a Tajik candidate ‘Abdullah Abdullah’ in Kandahar the same way Tajik, Hazara and Uzbek are voting for a Pashtun candidate ‘Ashraf Ghani’ in their areas. ETHNICITY IS NO LONGER REQUIRED IN MODERN AFGHANISTAN.