Afghanistan votes, again
June 14, 2014
Afghans are voting in the second-round election to choose a successor to incumbent President Hamid Karzai.
Afghanistan's former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abduallah and ex-World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani are up for election in Saturday's run-off presidential vote, after neither secured the 50 percent majority needed to take office during the first round of voting on April 5.
Afghan officials fear electoral fraud and Taliban threats to target polling centers during Saturday's vote could produce a disputed result and drag the country into a risky and protracted political stand-off.
“The level of threats is higher compared to the first round,” Interior Minister Omar Daudzai said.
“But we have gained far more experience and we have better equipment and are in a much better position to prevent any possible attack by terrorists.”
Warning against fraud
Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan Jan Kubis issued a warning before polling opened, warning supporters of both Abdullah and Ghani not to resort to ballot box stuffing that marred the 2009 election and saw Karzai returned to power.
“Do not commit fraud. Do not use intimidation or manipulation to favor your candidate," Kubis said.
Abdullah held 45 percent of the first-round vote, while Ghani retained 31.6 percent.
The Taliban warned locals not to vote in Saturday's run-off, condemning it as a US-sponsored charade.
“By holding elections, the Americans want to impose their stooges on the people,” the insurgents said on their website.
More than 12 million people are registered to vote at some 6,365 polling centers across the country from 7 a.m. local time (0230 GMT).
Counting from Saturday's election will take weeks, with harsh terrain and poor roads making ballot collection difficult.
Constitutionally barred from a third term in office, President Hamid Karzai is to stand down after ruling the country since 2001 - the year a US lead offensive ousted the Taliban regime in the country.
The troop contingent is due to leave at the end of 2014. Whoever takes over from Karzai is set to inherit a country with an increasing Taliban uprising and a country fraught with corruption.
jlw/lw (AFP, Reuters)