Wednesday April 17, 2013
Kabul (BNA) The Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan (IEC) has announced that there are no any other options except on time holding of presidential elections.
While responding to the queries of parliamentarians in the senate, the IEC chairman Fazel Ahmad Manavi assured the house members that the country has no other option except on time holding of presidential and provincial council elections and despite the major challenges and threats on our way, we have to commute towards the polling booths and participate in marking the future of our country.
Commenting on security of the elections, IEC chairman Fazel Ahamd Manavi warned that if the current security situations is continued as its today, then no one can predict transparency of the elections and previous challenges confronted by the people could be reviewed adding that security situations had to be promoted to ensure free, fair, legitimate and transparent poll endorsable both to world community and the Afghan nation.
The IEC has handed over the list of at least 7,000 polling stations and more than 20,000 polling booths to the security institutions of the country and the security organs should aware the nation about risky polling stations where security threats exits in large scale, said IEC chairman Manavi, adding that the IEC isn’t confronting financial problems and no option is under discussion for delay of the elections.
Manavi also talked about distribution of the voting cards and said that interior ministry will not be able to issue electronic IDs to the complete number of voters eligible for casting ballots in the elections and emphasized that electronic identity cards highly supports holding of transparent elections.
Meanwhile, a number of political factions have warmly welcomed on time and believe that announcement of the IEC removed all sorts of speculations and controversies over the election process.
Commenting on the topic, Jandad Spinghar an executive member to Afghanistan free, fair and transparent elections monitoring body said that holding of the 2014 presidential and provincial councils elections requires preemptive preparations and urged that on time ratification of election law and endorsement of law on jab descriptions and authorities of investigating body for assessment of election complains alongside formulation of a fool proof security plans would have positive impacts on holding of safe and transparent elections.
Talking on the matter, Nazar Muradi an advisor to the first vice president said that there is no any other option except on time holding of presidential elections and emphasized that both parliament should be selected on the bases of public ballots.
Muradi said that the country was confronting same security situations during the previous elections and the people of Afghanistan should be hopeful over holding of the presidential elections in 2014 as the insurgent Taliban were dominating various regions of the country but currently more than 75% of the overall territory of the country is controlled by the Afghan security institutions.
Meanwhile, nationals of the country interpret the elections from positive perspectives and ask the govt to undertake strategic and forge comprehensive security measures to ensure safety of the voters during the elections and assure holding of a free, fair and transparent elections and lead the country towards socioeconomic development and institutionalize peaceful transition of political power in the country.
Talking on the topic, local resident Farhad said that holding of 2014 elections has great importance to the Afghan people and government should jointly work with international community to secure the poll and facilitate the people cast their ballots without security risks and contribute in the political process of the country efficiently.
This came after the previous elections followed major speculations and controversies due to insecurity and riggings and if inclusive strategies and programs weren’t made for security of the election, it would have damaging impacts on political sphere of the country.
