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The Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Wednesday reaffirmed its commitment to preventing any interference that could compromise the integrity of Saturday's presidential and provincial council elections.

“No institution, individual, group or government will be allowed to interfere in the elections,” IEC Chairman Ahmad Yusuf Nuristani said. "The Election Commission will honor its promise to the nation and ensure impartiality in the elections."

Wednesday marks the end of the 2014 Afghan presidential and provincial council campaigns. Presidential candidate Zalmai Rassoul presented his last campaign to the residents of Kabul.

Rassoul promised to fight corruption and compulsion elaborating that winning will not be possible through either.

 “I would like to declare to those who use power and wealth to coerce their way thru things, that Afghanistan has changed," Rassoul said. "Today’s Afghanistan is not the extreme conservative Afghanistan, but rather a moderate Afghanistan.”

With only three days left until Afghans head to the polls, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced on Wednesday that 195,000 Afghan National Police (ANP), National Directorate of Security (NDS) and Afghan National Army (ANA) forces  have been deployed to polling centers around the country. 
 
MoD spokesman Zahir Azimi also claimed foreign interests are behind attempts to derail the election process, echoing previous remarks made by other Afghan security officials and politicians in response to the recent surge in violence across the country. 
 

KABUL (Pajhwok): The electoral watchdog on Tuesday fined presidential runners Gul Agha Sherzai and Zalmai Rassoul for violating the Election Law during their campaigns.

At an emergency meeting, the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) decided 10 complaints, including three against Zalmai Rassoul.

IECC Chairman Abdul Sattar Sadat said the objections against Rassoul pertained to the use of official resources in his electioneering.

Violence against women in Herat is a major issue that was addressed by presidential candidate Zalmai Rassoul during his campaign rally in Herat on Sunday.

Rassoul said in his speech that if elected president he will focus on fighting the issue.

“I am aware of the kidnappings, bullying and security issues of Herat,” Rassoul said. “If elected, I assure you, I will fight these phenomenons.” 

That majority that gathered at Rassoul’s campaigning in Herat were females.

Speaking to supporters in Herat on Sunday, presidential candidate Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai promised to turn the western province into the industrial and commercial trade capital of Afghanistan if elected.

The development plans Ashraf Ghani shared with his supporters on Sunday included the construction of a trade port along the border with Turkmenistan, the completion of the Kamal Khan Dam project in Nimroz, the Salma and Pashdan Dam in Herat and the Badghis Highway. He also promised to turn the Herat International Airport into a hub for international trade and transit.

Presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah stood in front of a crowd in Kandahar on Sunday addressing the people that the militant attack on the Independent Elections Commission (IEC) will not stop people from voting.

“The IEC building was attacked yesterday; I am telling Afghanistan’s enemies that Afghans will not change their decision in taking part in elections,” Abdullah said. “Threats and attacks will not change the people’s decision.”

Head of the Afghan Civil Society Forum (ACSF) Aziz Rafiye said on Saturday that details regarding the distribution of election materials and installation of equipment in polling centers around the country have not yet been provided by election officials. He warned that if security measures are not properly reported, the chances of election materials being stolen and equipment being tampered with would be high.