KABUL (SW): The members of the Afghan Shiite Ulema Council issued a statement yesterday (Tuesday) urging the citizens to refrain from participating in the voters’ registration process until the centers are secure.
However, Mohammad Hedayat, media advisor to Sarwar Danish, the second vice president, told Salam Watandar that the statement of the Shiite Ulema Council is against the national interest and the citizens shall disregard it.
Mohammad Hedayat regretted the government failure in providing security for the citizens at the ‘National Identity Card’ issuing center in Dasht-e Barchi where a suicide explosion killed more than 52 and injured hundreds of people on Monday, but said that this shall not become an excuse for the citizens to boycott the elections.
Meanwhile, Assadullah Yousufi, a member of Shitte Ulema Council told Salam Watandar that the lives of citizens are more important than the election. Yousufi stressed that the Council has boycotted the election process due to insecurity.
He added that unless the government and the Independent Election Commission (IEC) assure citizens' security in the voters’ registration process, the boycott will continue.
However, the officials at the IEC said Council of Ulema of Afghanistan which is consisting of both Shiite Ulema and Sunni Ulema has already agreed to cooperate with the IEC and encourage people to participate in the election process.
The Shitte Ulema Council decided to boycott the election process after a suicide explosion killed more than 52 and injured more than 200 civilians at a “National Identity Card” issuing center in Zone 6 of Kabul on Monday.
ENDS
