KABUL (SW) – Findings by Salam Watandar indicate a local warlord, Haji Kareem, has threatened and forced voters in Sar-e-Pul province to vote for his son, Assadullah Ayubi, in the Woles Jirga (lower house) polls.
In this connection, the Independent Election Complain Commission has issued a directive on 20 November 2018 noting that the father, Haji Raheem, of the WJ candidate, Assadullah Ayubi, has committed violations and crimes in favor of his son in a number of polling stations in Sar-e-Pul, and all votes cast at these polling stations should be declared annulled.
In another statement the IECC also declared many votes cast in the Topkhana polling station as void as they were believed to be more than the number of registered voters there
However, a well-placed source has told SW the Independent Election Commission has not considered the remarks by the IECC, and has counted all votes in these dubious polling stations as well.
In a letter, the IECC has informed the IEC as well as the police headquarters and the provincial administration in Sar-e-Pul about Haji Kareem along with his son and other armed men threatening head of the complaint commission, Naqibullah Tatar.
It is said Haji Kareem is leading a local uprising force with some 200 armed men. He claims to have served under the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defense as well.
He has rejected all allegations, asserting his son has obtained all the votes freely and fairly.
SW has obtained pictures and videos from the voting day in which Kareem and convoys of his armed men can be seen.
When contacted, Ali Reza Rouhani, commissioner and spokesman for the IECC, said: “the decisions by the IECC in the province are correct, but the IEC is not paying attention to them”.
Despite all this, Assadullah Ayubi has been named with second most votes in the Sar-e-Pul province.
ENDS
