Electoral watchdog fines Sherzai, Rassoul

KABUL (Pajhwok): The electoral watchdog on Tuesday fined presidential runners Gul Agha Sherzai and Zalmai Rassoul for violating the Election Law during their campaigns.

At an emergency meeting, the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) decided 10 complaints, including three against Zalmai Rassoul.

IECC Chairman Abdul Sattar Sadat said the objections against Rassoul pertained to the use of official resources in his electioneering.

Presidential runner Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai filed the complaints about the participation of Paktia Governor Juma Khan Hamdard in Rassoul’s campaign rally.

The commission was provided with a video clip of Hamdard campaigning for the ex-foreign minister. The governor was also accused of forcibly closing schools in the province to let teachers and students attend the public meeting.

Similarly, Kandahar residents alleged they had been forced by police into taking part in Rassoul’s campaign rally, according to Sadat. When the people tried to leave the venue, police beat them.

Under Articles 68 and 69 of the Election Law, the watchdog fined Rassoul 200,000 afghanis and referred cases against the Kandahar police chief and the Paktia governor to the Independent Election Commission (IEC).

Another presidential candidate, Sherzai, was fined 100,000 afs for using abusing language during a speech against his rival Rassoul. But representatives of the two runners, disagreeing with the decision, walked out of the meeting. 

Additionally, the Kabul Municipality has lodged complaints against Abdullah Abdullah, Qutbuddin Hilal and Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayyaf for displaying their posters at inappropriate places and failing to pay taxes.

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