Noticias

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): The two-month election campaign that ended last night had been undisturbed throughout eastern provinces, residents and officials said on Thursday.

They said residents widely participated in the electioneering for Saturday’s presidential and provincial council polls and there had been no major security incident.

Nangarhar police spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal told Pajhwok Afghan News the campaign had gone successful and without any security incident in the province.

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.”

Kabul, 2 abr (EFE).- Los recientes ataques en Kabul, las amenazas de violencia por parte de los talibanes y el miedo al fraude amenazan las elecciones de Afganistán el próximo sábado y ponen en duda la participación del electorado.

La seguridad en la capital afgana es visible con numerosos policías y soldados, además de controles en los que se chequean los vehículos en busca de bombas y las carreteras que llevan a edificios del Gobierno cerradas a los civiles.

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.”