Senators call for election result on schedule

KABUL) to announce the presidential election result on schedule (Wednesday).

Participating in the debate on elections and insecurity in the country, a public representative from Kabul, Khaliqdad Balaghi, urged the panel not to delay the final results of the April 5 vote.

His colleague from Bamyan province Hidayatullah Rihayee believed the result was being delayed as candidates remained busy hobnobbing behind the scenes.

Senate Chairman Fazal Hadi Muslimyar endorsed the members’ view and called for the result as scheduled. “We should if the outcome is delayed for a day or two for the sake of transparency.”

Also on Tuesday, IEC spokesman Noor Mohammad Noor told reporters they had not yet received a complete report on complaint adjudication from the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC).

If the report was submitted today, the IEC would try to unveil the results tomorrow, he promised. The IECC was supposed to share its findings with the main panel yesterday.

Some members also referred to recent incidents of insecurity. Hailing from Nangarhar, Lutfullah Baba said insecurity had intensified in Nangarhar province.

He accused Pakistan. Baba added militants had launched a campaign to collect Ushr, warning the people a refusal would entail death.

He claimed that 70 rockets were fired recently by the Pakistan military into six districts of Kunar province. He suggested the government should let people rise against insurgents to improve the security situation on their own.

His colleague from Kandahar province, Mohammad Saleh Palawan, said Pakistani forces crossed the border into Afghanistan. “If the government cannot prevent them, we are ready to defend the country on our own.”

A senator from Badakhshan province, Bashir Ahmad Samim, accused some neighbouring countries of involvements in fuelling insecurity.

All the members asked the government to use all its resources for security improvement.

Chairman Muslimyar said Afghan citizens and policemen should make joint efforts at improving the security situation.

mds/mud

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