SHARANA (SW): Residents of Paktika’s ten districts on Sunday staged protest against the non-availability of electoral material in their areas.
The protesters vowed to keep the office of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) in the provincial capital locked until election material is not dispatched to their areas, and 77 closed voter registration centers are not re-opened.
Momin Kamalwal and Chinar Gul, two of the protesters, said the demonstration is for their democratic rights. They stressed the IEC cannot deny some 300,000 residents of these district their democratic right.
Talking to journalists, Ilyas Wahdat, provincial governor, said the protesters' demands have been shared with the relevant officials in Kabul, and soon their issues woud be resolved. Citing security concerns as a major obstacle, Wahdat said dispatching electoral material is risky to some parts of the province.
He, however, noted the protesters have agreed not to disturb the operations of the IEC.
Officials at the IEC informed Salam Watandar it has been agreed to open 12 voter registration centers and discuss ways and means to improve security.
ENDS
