Afghan election workers carry a plastic box containing election material into a polling station at Jamee mosque in the city of Herat. PHOTO: AFP
KABUL: Voters across the war-shattered Afghanistan lined up at thousands of polling centres early on Saturday to exercise their democratic right and choose a new leader for the next five years.
Eight candidates are taking part in the third presidential elections since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 as the result of US-led Nato’s military operations.
Former Finance Minister Dr Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, former Foreign Minister Dr Abdullah Abdullah and former Foreign Minister Dr Zalmai Rasoul are considered the potential candidates.
Polling started at 7:30am local time and will continue till 4pm, without any break in between, the chief of the country’s Independent Election Commission (IEC), which is the Afghan body responsible for the organization of the polls, Dr Ahmad Yusuf Nuristani said.
President Hamid Karzai and First Vice President to Karzai Mohammad Yunus Qanuni, also cast their votes at a polling station in Kabul. Some other ministers also accompanied Karzai and did the same.
"Voting will bring a prosperous life for our children and the generations to come," Karzai said after casting his vote.
The outgoing President, whose nearly 13-year of rule will end after this election, had issued a special video appealing to the people to go to the polling stations and exercise democratic right. He had asked government officials to desist from interference in elections.
The official Bakhtar news agency reported that nearly 13 million eligible people will go to polling centers. However, an election observer in Kabul told The Express Tribune that the number of registered voters has increased to up to 17 million.
Officials stated the official result of the elections will be announced on May 14. If no presidential candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election will be held on May 22.
Security concerns
Afghanistan is under security blanket following a series of recent Taliban attacks in capital Kabul and threats to carry out more assaults on all elections-related people and polling centres.
The IEC, said polling would be conducted in 90% of around 7,500 polling centres, with the remaining centres staying closed due to security concerns and access issues. A total of 748 polling centres will not be open over security threats.
Interior Minister Umer Daudzai, said that nearly 400,000 security personnel, including troops and intelligence officials have been deployed in the country to provide security to voters. Officials stated that the country’s air force is also on high alert.
Provincial councils elections
Elections for the provincial councils are also taking place at the same time as the presidential elections.
There are 34 provinces in Afghanistan; each has a pre-determined allocation of seats according to the size of its population.
The total number of seats is 420, and councilors are elected for a term of 4 years. Provincial councils’ members also elect senators.
Rigging
Front-runner Dr Abdullah Abdullah has warned of possible rigging in the elections and said the cost of irregularities would be too heavy for the country to afford. Thousands of foreign and local observers have been accredited to monitor the polls and the Afghan authorities have set up special centres for people to report elections fraud.
The authorities late Friday blocked the SMS service across the country to stop people from political campaign after one million text messages, seeking vote for Dr Abdullah, were sent to people.
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All three top contenders are highly educated, qualified, experienced and most suited to lead the nation. Difficult for afghans to discard any but they have to make a choice. best wishes.
Hope the Afghans elect good leaders and wishing them Peace and Happiness.