IEC headquarters shut by supporters of ‘barred’ candidates

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By Farhad Naibkhel-Kabul: Hundreds of supporters of candidates who had been barred from running for parliamentarian elections staged a protest in Kabul city and shutdown the Independent Election Commission headquarters, seeking explanation from the election panel for voiding their candidacy.

A sum of 35 election hopefuls was removed on Saturday by the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission from the final list of parliamentary elections’ candidates.

This deletion comes as the complaints panel had commissioned earlier this month a board to investigate links of some candidates with illegal armed groups, as well as involvement in security issues, coordinated crimes, drug smuggling and misuse of public and private assets.

Mawlawi Tarakhail, Fawzia Kofi, Maryam Kofi, Ziaulhaq Amarkhail, Sayed Jafar Naderi, Ghulam Haidar Jailani, Allah Mir, Sayed Daud Naderi, Zardad Faryadi, Akbar Stanikzai, Shahista Baz Naseri  and Qais Hassan were among the removed candidates.

Removal of potential candidates from the ballot list faced criticisms and followed protest today.

Hundreds of supporter of disqualified parliamentary candidates staged protest in front of IEC office and closed the IEC door. They believes that their candidates not convicted by any court, so we seek explanation

Lawmaker Shahista Baz Naseri called decision over removal of his name a political decision.

He said that till social justice not reinforced and we not reached to our rights will continue to protest

Another legislator Qais Hassan said that still we don’t know clearly the reason behind removal of our name from final list of ballot paper.

Haji Abdul Rahim Secretary for a prominent Member of Parliament Mawlawi Tarkhil Mohammadi said that hundreds of supporters of Tarakhil staged protest in front of IEC and closed the door of IEC today.

He said that we ask IEC for explanation about removal of Tarakhil from final ballot list.

We will continue to protest till not received satisfied response, he added.

Meanwhile IEC Head Abdul Badi Sayad said that each hopeful candidate has the right to criticize legally in the frame of law, but they don’t have the right to create challenges ahead of a national process.

He said that IEC won’t be responsible, if any problem creates due to protest to IEC and cause delay in election.

He said that security organs and government must address the issue.

During protest also a suicide attack took place in the area, which killed one police and wounded another.

Kabul Police Spokesman Hashmat Stanikzai said that a suicide bomber at around 1:15pm today struggled to target protestors in front of IEC, who identified and before reaching target blew himself up.

He said that one police was killed and another wounded.