Peace be resorted in Ghazni before polls: Residents

GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): The residents of southern Ghazni province say the Wolesi Jirga elections should be conducted after peace is restored in the province in order a large number of people could participate.

The residents believe the turnout, especially of women, would be low if the elections were held in the present circumstances.

Due to some reasons, the Wolesi Jirga elections had to be delayed indefinitely in Ghazni province.

Civil society activist Wahidullah told Pajhwok Afghan News looking at the present security situation, the parliamentary vote could not be conducted in Ghazni.

“There is no security in the city, every day there is fighting, so what would be the situation in districts,” he asked.

Rahima, a resident of Ghazni City, said women would not be able to participate in polls if the current situation persisted.

“Ghazni is not ready for elections and families will not allow their female members to attach stickers to their Tazkera and participate in elections,” she said.

Samiullah, another resident of Ghazni City, said he would not take part in elections until there was security and peace in the province.

“We have no good memories of the Parliament so why should we vote at the cost of our lives,” he questioned.

Wolesi Jirga candidate from Ghazni province Hosai said attacks on election rallies in other provinces had threatened the residents of Ghazni.

“People by hearing and reading about these attacks don’t want to take part in elections,” she said.

Hosai also demanded the government conduct the Wolesi Jirga elections after complete peace and stability.

Mohammad Karim Jamal, operational assistance at the Independent Election Commission (IEC), said they were ready to conduct the elections whenever the governments provided the opportunity.

“The government should provide the opportunity, we can transfer our logistic and begin the voter registration,” he said. He said security officials had assured them of security of polling stations.

Governor’s spokesman Mohammad Arif Noor said the provincial government often held meetings with the President regarding the conduct of Wolesi Jira elections.

He said the president had tasked a committee with paving the ground for elections in Ghazni.

The elections in Ghazni were delayed after the majority Pashtun residents demanded proportional representation type of elections while the Hazara ethnic group demands elections based on the existing SNTV system.

nh/ma

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