Abdullah urged to restore ties with poll panels

KABUL organisations on Sunday warned the deadlocked electoral process could hurt national unity and urged the election commissions to take serious steps toward building trust between the presidential candidates.

On Wednesday, Dr. Abdullah accused President Hamid Karzai of not staying impartial during the June 14 by-election, suspending ties with the two electoral bodies. The former foreign minister also demanded an immediate halt to the vote-tallying process.

However, the Presidential Palace poured scorn on Abdullah’s impartiality claim while the Independent Election Commission (IEC) said it would continue counting of votes.

Hundreds of Abdullah’s supporters continued their peaceful protests for a second day on Sunday in Kabul and western Herat province against alleged fraud during the election.

Civil society leader Syed Nasar Mosawi told reporters in Kabul that election related complaints and fraud allegations could plunge the nation into deep political and economic problems and could threaten the country’s stability and national unity.

He said the prices of essential daily-use commodities had started soaring as a result of the persisting political impasse, which could give birth to many more such problems for Afghans.

Calling the current situation as problematic, Mosawi asked the two electoral bodies to immediately address issues widening distrust among the candidates and take active steps for the restoration of people’s trust in them.

The IEC and the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) should introduce their workers accused of fraud to judicial organs in order to restore people’s confidence in them, Mosawi said, asking the election panels to respond to candidates’ complaints and questions.

He also asked the United Nations (UN) to oversee the election process and try to convince both the candidates into resolving their differences.

In a statement, the Civil Society Organisations Network said the IEC and the IECC should address all complaints regarding fraud transparently and should discharge their duties keeping supreme the national interest.

The statement also asked Abdullah’s Reforms and Unanimity team to rejoin the vote-tallying process and avoid plunging the country into a political chaos.

mds/ma

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