Akbarzada fears no voting in 5 Ghazni towns

GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): The governor on Sunday feared voting in the April presidential and provincial council elections would not take place in five districts of southern Ghazni province because of security concerns.

Musa Khan Akbarzada told Pajhwok Afghan News Giro, Zankhan, Ab Band, Rashidan and Khugyani districts were considered to be insecure.

He acknowledged polls could not be held in Nawa district because Taliban militants had been in control there over the past seven years.

Residents of the ethnic Pashtun dominated districts say they had lodged many complaints with the authorities about the growing insecurity in their areas.

In the complaints, they have urged the government to improve the situation in the lead up to the landmark elections.

Mohammad Iqbal, a resident of Andar district, said elections were possible only when Afghan Local Police (ALP) had a strong control of the town.

Security officials say of 6,845 polling stations nationwide, as many as 414 would stay shut on the election day for security reasons.

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