Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Kabul (BNA) Criticizing on the parliament of the country, the government officials said, ‘The president’s legislative decree on bringing reforms in election law has been rejected by the lower house.’
Presidential deputy spokesperson, Sayed Zafar Hashemi told media that the government respected to the parliament move, but it is making effort to create a people-acceptable electoral system.
Second Vice President, Sarwar Danesh is in talks with some people and officials of the different government and non-government organizations to find ‘practical, logical and legal’ way to reform the electoral system, because it is one of the government commitments to the people of Afghanistan. Stressing on bringing reforms in the electoral system, lower house of the parliament said, ‘The Afghan people expect the electoral system is reformed at its earliest, because the people distrust would not remove to upcoming elections unless reforms are not brought at the electoral commissions’. A political expert, Mohammad Iqbal said, ‘During the first days of the National Unity Government (NUG) establishment, the leaders announced that bringing reforms in electoral system is one of their top priorities.’
Therefore, it is time to practically step up in this respect, because it is one of the people demands, Iqbal continued.’ Delay in reforming the electoral system is not only in the benefit of the future elections, but it also causes the people not to trust the process anymore, Iqbal further said. Another political expert, Ali Rahmani said, ‘Bringing reforms in electoral system is one of the basic and the most comprehensive issues—a move which will revive the people lost trust in the government leaders on what they have promised.’ Thus, practical steps should be taken in this regard, because the international community also stresses on it, Rahmani further said.’ As early as the reforms process starts, the upcoming elections would be held in a more transparent atmosphere and the people would attend the process with full confidence, Rahmani went on to say. Meanwhile, the country’s civil society organizations believe that bringing reforms in electoral system is one of the people basic demands. Because, the past elections had been faced many challenges and frauds, therefore, bringing electoral reforms is a must, so the parliamentary elections to be held in a free of violations and fraud atmosphere and the people lost trust to be revived. A civil society member, Maryam said, ‘There is no doubt that the leaders of the NUG during the first days of the government have been promised to people to reform the electoral system, but unfortunately, nothing considerable has yet made in this regard, so we hope this demand of the people to be soon practiced.’ A Kabul citizen, Walid said, ‘The people of Afghanistan have experienced three times elections, they believe if serious reforms are not brought in electoral system, they won’t participate to the parliamentary elections.’ This is while that the last elections had been criticized in the national and international level—a move which caused the president to issue a decree on establishing electoral reforms commission to revive the people lost trust.
Suraya Raiszada
