BADAKHSHAN (SW): A number of Jihadi commanders, religious scholars and civil society activists in Badakhshan have begun a campaign to encourage people to register to vote in the upcoming election after concerns were raised about the decline of public’s interest in the process.
They visited the voter registration centers, ensuring the security at the polling stations, they called on the residents to participate in the process of registration and by voting in the upcoming election and decide the political fate of their country by voting for the candidate of their choice.
Nazir Mohammad Niazi, a Jihadi commander in Badakhshan told Salam Watandar that they have asked all the civil society institutions for help to encourage the public to participate in the process of voters’ registration and will continue their effort until the end of the registration process.
According to him, in addition to the lack of enough campaign for voters participation by the IEC, putting the sticker on the national identity cards have also concerned people about the potential risks posed by the Taliban.
Niazi assured the public that the Jihadi groups in collaboration with the security forces will not hesitate to provide security to the voters during the election.
A number of Badakhshan residents told Salam Watandar that the increasing insecurity and empty promises of the government officials and members of the Wolesi Jirga have caused the public to not participate in the upcoming election, however, some other residents said that due to lethargy of the government officials and representatives, the public should not abandon the democratic process and lose faith in it.
Meanwhile, Hamidullah Baloch, head of IEC’s provincial headquarters said that the rate of registration has increased in comparison to previous days, and more and more people are coming to sign up for the voting in the upcoming election and they hope to see a widespread turn out at the end.
Although Hamidullah Baloch informed of increasing people’s turn out to voter registration centers, according to statistics from the 20 registration centers in Badakhshan, over the past five days, fewer than 500 people have registered so far.
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