Sayyaf decides not to take sides in runoff

KABUL leader Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayyaf on Sunday said he had decided not to take sides in the upcoming presidential runoff election after a series of talks with both frontrunners.

A statement issued from Sayyaf press office quoted the religious scholar as advising the Afghans to vote for a person they believed could keep them united.

Sayyaf, who finished fourth with 7.1 percent of the votes cast during the April 5 presidential elections, said he had several meetings with Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani and both offered him to join their camps, but he did not say clear which candidate he would support.

“I suggest the Afghans to take part in electioneering and support a candidate who can keep national unity and serve the national interest and jihad’s values,” Sayyaf was quoted as saying in the statement.

He asked all Afghans to widely participate in the second round of presidential elections and do not let the enemies of Afghanistan to succeed in their nefarious designs.

Sayyaf also asked both the frontrunners to avoid insulting individuals and do their campaigns responsibly in order not to damage national interest.

“I brotherly request both the candidates to adhere to transparency and avoid any kind of fraud,” he said.

The second round presidential election is due on June 14.

mds/ma

Visits: 1