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KABUL: Last Friday hundreds of supporters of “Stability and Convergence” electoral team led by Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah have come out on the streets of capital Kabul to express their anger over performances of the Independent Election Commission (IEC). The protestors have demanded the IEC to nullify the votes, which they claimed are not clean and transparent. But, the IEC has said that civil demonstrations are the rights of the people, but asking the protestors to allow the commissions to continue its work and make the process successful.
Abdullah’s supporters have halted the vote recounting process in northern, Panjshir, Faryab, Jawzjan, Sar-e-Pul, Baghlan, Takhar and Badakhshan provinces.
The electoral ticket has asked for invalidation of fraudulent votes prior to the recounting process, saying that widespread protests would be launched if the IEC didn’t pay attention to their wishes.
Meanwhile, the commission said that tremendous efforts were underway to announce the results based on clean and transparent votes.
IEC’s spokesman, Zabiullah Sadaat has said, “people have the rights for civil protest and the commission once again pledges that the results will be announced in accordance to the law and principles, and based on people’ transparent votes.”
He said the commission would be able to announce the results within a week if the protestors allow the IEC’s staff to continue their works in the northern provinces.
Hours after the protests, Abdullah in a tweet has called the protests against corruption and defending of democracy in the country.
The Afghan presidential polls have been engaged in serious tensions and chaos. The IEC have been accused by a number of candidates of working in favor of a certain electoral team. The election was held on September 28th but the preliminary results are yet to be announced.
