Partial vote recount likely: Afghan parliament’s inauguration put off

Karzai orders one month delay after a special election court asked for more time to look into fraud.

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered a one month delay to the inauguration of parliament after a special election court asked for more time to look into fraud allegations, his office said on Wednesday.

Karzai promised there would be no delay beyond the new February 22 target for forming the assembly, but by then Afghanistan will have been without a parliament for more than five months.

The fraud-riddled poll and months of drawn-out political infighting over the results have raised questions about the credibility of Karzai and his government as rulers.

Karzai himself set up the special tribunal that put the brakes on parliament, issuing a presidential decree after protests by losing candidates.

“To pay tribute to the special poll court, the Presidential Palace delays the inauguration,” his office said in a statement.

“It is worth mentioning that the parliament will be inaugurated ... without any further delays,” it added.

A top Afghan opposition leader condemned the court as illegal, and said another month’s delay in forming an assembly would undermine the country’s fragile democracy.

“This court is in direct violation of the constitution of Afghanistan,” said Abdullah Abdullah, an ophthalmologist who was Karzai’s main rival in the last presidential elections.

“This seems like an effort to undermine the role of parliament, and damage it,” he said of the delay.

After months without a parliament, there are fears that further waiting will fuel political unrest and instability. And winning members of parliament, who have already started an orientation week, may not accept a delay quietly.

“We are representatives of our nation, and we are going to open the parliament on Sunday as scheduled,” said Mirwais Yasini, a successful candidate from eastern Nangarhar province.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20^th, 2011.