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AT News Report-KABUL: The ousted Balkh governor, and the executive director of Jamiat-e-Islami political party, Atta Mohammad Noor has questioned the legitimacy of the current Independent Election Commission (IEC) and termed it unacceptable to the people of the country.
Addressing the participants of a gathering in Mazar-e-Sharif city on Sunday, he sought a review on Independent Election Commission, saying the commission’s members are being nominated by the three leaders of the government.
“Credibility of the upcoming election’s result will not be acceptable to the general public,” Noor said.
“We have always said that the governor and mayors must be elected, but it has not happened. It should be the people who elect the governors and mayors. Those who are elected by the people would be accountable,” he added.
Noor made a formal demand that the IEC must be reformed. “If the election commission is not reformed, the election result would be invalid.”
“The IEC commissioners must be elected with the participation of civil society activists, the Supreme Court, the International Community and the people’s representatives. If not, this commission would not be accepted by the people,” he said, adding “We will have a very bad election as compared to the last time.”
Noor also slammed the government saying “there is no any meritocracy in the government. Is it a meritocracy to dismiss a person who is working well?”
Noor’s remarks come at a time when dispute between him and President Ashraf Ghani over the latter’s approval of his resignation is not yet resolved.
According to the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG), Engineer Mohammad Dawood has been appointed as Balkh governor. However, Noor is willing to leave office unless the government and Jamiat-e-Islami party reach an agreement.
On Saturday, Noor publically leveled accusations of corruption against the Presidential Palace and the National Procurement Authority (NPA), but he did not present any hard evidences.
“Corruption is in the Presidential Palace. The special procurement commission for big projects is a big source of corruption,” Noor claimed.
However, the presidential palace has not yet commented into the matter.
