Adib: Poll materials being airlifted to 14 towns

FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): The governor on Thursday said election materials would be airlifted to 14 districts of northeastern Badakhshan province due to security threats.

Shah Waliullah Adib explained 12 of the districts had no proper roads and there were security problems in the remaining two towns.

He said the presence of Taliban insurgents and a lack of roads to the said districts had made it impossible to transfer election materials there by road.

The governor said the materials had already been sent to Kohistan, Yawan and Arghistan districts via helicopters provided by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The remaining districts would be receiving the electoral materials in few days, Adib assured, saying the process was ongoing under an organised plan.

ISAF helicopters were used for the same purpose during the previous elections.

Abdul Malik Hanafi, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) office head in Badakhshan, said the decision to airlift electoral materials to districts had been taken in coordination with local officials, keeping in view the impassable paths and security risks.  

Of 315 polling stations in Badakhshan, 26 sites are declared under high security threat posed by armed insurgents in Jurm, Tagab and other districts.

Badakhshan has 28 districts and electoral materials are being sent to 14 districts by air, according to Hanafi. 

However, Maj. Gen. Zalmai Weesa, the 209th Shaheen Military Corps commander in the north, said security for insecure polling stations would be ensured until the Election Day (April 5).

He said the Afghans were looking forward to having a better future through the elections and it was their responsibility to maintain security and help enable people to choose their preferred leaders.

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