Protesters threaten to boycott presidential polls

KUNDUZ (SW) – A number of Wolesi Jirga (lower house) candidates in Kunduz province close down the Independent Election Commission office in protest.

The agitating candidates, who are not in the list of the winners, claim widespread irregularities have taken place in the parliamentary polls here. Setting up a protest camp in Kunduz, they vowed not to end the agitation drive until all the votes are recounted again, and the biometric verified ones are separated from those not verified.  

They also threatened to boycott the forthcoming presidential polls, if their demands are not met.

They asserted a leaked video indicates provincial head of the IEC and the secretary of the electoral commission discussing declaring influential and politically connected candidates as successful despite lack of enough vote.

IEC officials in Kabul told SW the accused official, Rasul Umer, has been asked to clarify his position, but he has not approached the electoral commission headquarters yet.

We wished to have the views of IEC officials in Kunduz, but they declined to comment.

ENDS