Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN) Weekly Election Coverage Newsletter, Nov. 12-18

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Abdullah denies rift with Ghani over Cabinet

By: Mohammad Hassan Khettab ‎,Date: 2014-11-16

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KABUL (Pajhwok): Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Abdullah Abdullah on Sunday said the national unity

government would support the Afghan forces, which he

said had the ability to frustrate enemy designs.

Speaking at the Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim

University in Kabul, Abdullah said the Afghan Army was

capable enough to defend the country from its enemies but

the troops needed more training and equipment.

“I am sure the Afghans can preserve their country’s

independency even at the cost of their lives and they

support their army, which is the pride of the country,” he

said.

Speaking to Afghan forces, Abdullah said the national

security forces should keep close liaison with the masses

to further gain their support.

“Afghan national security forces are swords for domestic

and foreign enemies and the national unity government

will further support them for their improvement,”

Abdullah said.

He also announced that the new cabinet would be created

soon and its members would try to solve people’s

problems and serve the nation with full zeal.

Abdullah also denied differences with President Ashraf

Ghani over the formation of the new Cabinet, saying the

Cabinet formation needed more attention and consultations

that was why it had been delayed.

Soon after being sworn-in last month, President Ghani

promised to form the new cabinet within 45 days, a

deadline that has already ended, but the Cabinet members

are yet to be named.

The president had also said he was in no hurry to form the

new Cabinet, which he said needed time and utmost care

in selection of professional individuals.

MPs assail Fazl over pro-insurgency remarks

By: Abasin Zaheer ‎,Date: 2014-11-15

KABUL (Pajhwok): Wolesi Jirga members on Saturday

strongly criticised a Pakistani religious party leader,

Maulana Fazl Rahman, for backing Taliban’s insurgency

against foreign troops in Afghanistan.

Fazl, the chief of his own faction of Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam

(JUI-F), on Friday met President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai

in Islamabad. Fazl reportedly said peace could not be

achieved in Afghanistan in the presence of foreign troops.

A lower house member from northeastern Badakhshan

province, Zakria Soda, said Maulana Fazl’s remarks were

clear interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs.

He urged the house not to stay silent over the JUI-F

leader’s remarks and show reaction in this regard.

“If the insurgency in Afghanistan is really legitimate then

Afghanistan ulema should issue a decree, otherwise give a

response to Fazl Rahman,” he said.

First deputy speaker, Siddique Ahmad Osmani, who

presided over the session, he strongly condemned Fazl

Rahman’s remarks about Afghanistan on behalf of the

lower house.

He called on the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the

Ulema Council and the authorities concerned to give a

befitting response to the Maulana. “If no reaction is

showed, we will discuss it in an exclusive gathering to

make our own decision,” Osmani said. Lawmaker

Manawar Bahaduri from western Herat province said

former president Hamid Karzai had visited Pakistan more

than 20 times, but there had been no positive outcome.

“President Ghani should not have travelled to Pakistan,

which if really facing terrorism should tell Afghanistan

that it is with you in crushing the terrorists,” said the MP,

who said Pakistan had never been an honest friend.

However, he said President Ghani should try to gain

something from his visit to Pakistan.

His colleague from eastern Kunar province, Mohammad

Saleh, said he was against president Ghani’s visit to Paki-

stan. He said the president should have first resolved the

issue of acting ministers before leaving for the

neighbouring country. “We are facing problems in the

Cabinet due to the acting ministers. As long as we do not

develop a system at home, we cannot convince the world

to support us.”

But a lawmaker from eastern Nangarhar province,

Mirwais Yasini, said both Afghanistan and Pakistan were

victims of terrorism and both the countries should take

great advantage from the president’s visit.

Pajhwok Afghan News

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Election Coverage Newsletter

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KABUL (Pajhwok): Meshrano Jirga members on Tuesday

asked President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai to name and

introduce to Parliament his Cabinet nominees as soon as

possible and take effective measures for reversing the tide

of insecurity.

The call was issued days after President Ahmadzai said he

was in no hurry to introduce his Cabinet picks, a job he

would carefully do.

However, after being sworn-in last month, Ahmadzai said

he would introduce his Cabinet nominees to the parliament

for a vote of confidence within 45 days.

The president issued a decree asking all ministers,

governors and departmental heads to continue their job in

acting capacity. However, under the law, the time of acting

capacity should not exceed a month.

An upper house member from central Daikundi province,

Ali Akbar Jamshidi, told today’s session that the

government should introduce the Cabinet members without

any further delay because the acting officials had not been

performing with responsibility and as a result, insecurity

had increased.

His colleague from southern Kandahar province, Bismillah

Afghanmal, said the government should out to an end the

issue of acting officials and should focus on security.

He accused acting governors of interfering into the

elections of provincial council heads, their deputies and

senatorial representatives in order to have men in the future

parliament.

Shehnaz Ghausi from western Herat province said

prolonging the issue of acting officials meant increasing

insecurity in the country.

Senate Chairman Fazl Hadi Muslimyar also said the

government should introduce the ministers-designate at the

earliest. He said the nominees should be professional

individuals who could do away with the gap between the

government and the masses.

He said insecurity had lately deteriorated and the

government should take effective steps to reverse the tide.

KABUL (Pajhwok): A Wolesi Jirga member from

northwestern Badghis province was on Wednesday

expelled from the house after he entered a verbal clash

with his colleague from the same province.

The clash erupted after Qazi Abdul Rahim was interrupted

by another lawmaker from Badghis Syed Mohammad

Musa as he spoke about insecurity in his province.

Rahim said security incidents had increased in Badghis in

addition to tribal clashes and an ongoing drought, creating

numerous problems for local residents.

“I have repeatedly contacted the National Emergency

Committee and the ministries concerned about the

problems in Badghis, but there has been no positive

response,” Rahim said.

He urged President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and the lower

house’s administrative board to create a commission for

investigation into Badghis problems.

“But the proposed commission should not perform its task

in haste. It should thoroughly investigate and expose those

responsible for the deteriorating security situation in

Badghis.”

But another lawmaker from Badghis, Syed Mohammad

Musa, started talking without seeking permission from the

administrative board.

Rahim told Musa: “No one is listening to you. You may

please listen to me.” But Musa continued and so Rahim.

Rahim said:

“All issues and problems from insecurity and tribal

clashes to murders and other crimes should be carefully

investigated and the factors identified.

The real cause behind all these problems is Musa.

” On hearing this, Musa stood up from his seat and started

talking butjournalists could not hear him because his

microphone was off. However, a lawmaker, wishing not to

be named, said Musa hurled abusive words at Rahim and

threatened to physically attack him.

After the verbal clash, Speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi said

Musa had insulted Rahim and he should be expelled from

the house for a day for violating the code of conduct.

Security officials then took Musa out of the assembly.

This reporter tried to seek comment from Musa but failed.

MP expelled from Wolesi Jirga after clash

By: Abasin Zaheer ‎,Date: 2014-11-12

Senate asks govt to introduce Cabinet picks soon

By: Abasin Zaheer ‎,Date: 2014-11-11

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Supporters of failed provincial

council candidates on Sunday staged a fresh protest

demonstration in western Herat province, vowing not to

allow those involved in fraud to enter the provincial

council office.

The rally was carried out at a time when the

newly-elected PC members were voting to elect their

administrative board inside the provincial Independent

Election Commission (IEC) office in Herat City.

The angry protesters chanted slogans like “death to IEC”

“we want justice” and warned of continuing their protests

until their demands were met.

Syed Sharif, a protestor, warned those who made it to the

council through fraud would not be permitted to enter the

council office.

The protestors asked President Ashraf Ghani to meet their

demands or they would continue protesting.

IEC chief in Herat Dr. Daud Sediqzad told Pajhwok

Afghan News Kamran Ali Rezae secured 15 votes from

the 19-member council and was elected as the provincial

council chief.

Tooryalai Tahiri was elected as deputy head of the council

and Sakina Husseini as secretary by winning 12 and 10

votes respectively.

Losers renew warning to disrupt oath ceremony

By: Khwaja Basir Ahmad ‎,Date: 2014-11-16

KABUL (Pajhwok): Failed provincial council candidates

on Sunday warned to once again disrupt a planned

oath-taking ceremony for winning runners in Kabul if their

demands went unaddressed.

After being put on hold for seven months, final results from

the April 5 provincial council elections sparked protests and

fraud allegations by failed candidates in various provinces.

The previously planned oath-taking ceremony for Kabul PC

members was slated for Nov 11, but it had to be cancelled

due to protest demonstrations by nearly 300 people in front

of the Governor’s House.

Pajhwok Afghan News

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BAMYAN CITY (Pajhwok): For the first time in

Afghanistan, a female was Sunday elected to head the

provincial council in central Bamyan province.

Tabiba Khawary, a former civil society activist, secured

five votes from the nine-member body in a ballot held at the

provincial Independent Election Commission.

Tabiba, who contested the election as an independent

candidate, told Pajhwok Afghan News the time had come to

believe in women’s capabilities without being biased

toward the gender.

She said women should not be given a symbolic role in

society and instead given equal rights.

She said out of nine members on the council, only two were

women.

Sayed Ali, who secured nine votes, became Tabiba’s

deputy, while Mohammad Amir Mahmoudi was elected as

the council’s secretary.

Tabiba was born in Ande village of Yakawlang district and

she is now 31.

She has studied history in Bamyan University and has been

active campaigning for women’s rights. Khawary had been

a schoolteacher for four years.

Habiba Saroby was the first female governor of Bamyan

province for seven years before resigning to contest the

April 5 presidential elections as a vice-presidential

candidate.

Herat PC elects chief amid protest outside

By: Storai Karimi ‎,Date: 2014-11-16

Woman elected as Bamyan council head

By: Hadi Ghafari ‎,Date: 2014-11-16

New Kabul PC members administered oath

By: Khwaja Basir Ahmad ‎,Date: 2014-11-17

Khost PC in trouble to elect admin board

By: Mohammad Haroon ‎,Date: 2014-11-17

KABUL (Pajhwok): The newly-elected provincial council

members of central Kabul province were sworn-in on

Monday at the Governor’s House here despite warnings

from losing candidates to disrupt the ceremony.

After being put on hold for seven months, final results from

the April 5 provincial council elections sparked protests

and fraud allegations by failed candidates in various

provinces.

The previously planned oath-taking ceremony for Kabul

PC members was slated for Nov 11, but it had to be

cancelled due to protest demonstrations by nearly 300

people in front of the Governor’s House.

The protesters on Sunday renewed their warning and called

for the creation of a special tribunal to investigate fraud

allegations.

Losing candidates and their supporters have erected tents in

front of the Office of Administrative Affairs since

yesterday to continue their protest.

Kabul Governor Adbul Jabar Taqwa in his address to the

newly sworn-in PC members said the council was a place

to serve the people not themselves.

He urged the new public representatives to work

side-by-side with the provincial administration since there

were a lot to be done for Kabul’s development.

As many as 454 individuals contested the April elections in

Kabul province and 33 of them, including seven women,

were elected.

The new members will now elect their administrative board

officials and a senatorial representative on Tuesday.

Mohammad Daud Asas, a lawmaker who lost his

reelection bid, led today’s demonstration.

The Senator claimed he had evidence that some

candidates paid 30,000 to 40,000 dollars in bribes to

election officials in return for declaring them as winners

through fraud.

He warned unless a special tribunal was created to

investigate the issue, they wouldn’t allow the oath-taking

ceremony to take place.

Daud claimed they had voice recordings of top IEC and

IECC officials as evidence proving fraud.

Rafiullah Gul Afghan, another sitting senator, who lost

his reelection bid, asked President Ghani and CEO

Abdullah to intervene and solve the issue and warned they

would block major highways.

Electoral officials deny their involvement in electoral

fraud.

Some 10 losing candidates and dozens of their supporters

took part in today’s protest in the Pashtonistan Square

near the Presidential Palace.

Pajhwok Afghan News

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But Khost IEC chief Mohammad Shafieq blamed the delay

in conducting the election on the absence of a number of

PC members.

Another IEC official, who wished not to be named, said the

delay stemmed from differences among the PC members

over the election of their senatorial representative.

But Rahman said there were no differences among them

over the issue of Senate candidate

KHOST CITY (Pajhwok): Newly sworn-in provincial

council members in southeastern Khost province on

Monday accused the provincial Independent Election

Commission (IEC) of deliberately not conducting the

ballot to choose their administrative board’s members.

Speaking at a press conference here, they said people who

had voted them were in trouble because they could

resolve their problems until they elected their head,

secretary and deputy head.

One of the council members, Mujibur Rahman said they

were yet to elect their senatorial representative while most

provinces had already done it.

Another member Amirullah Zara Swand said they had

repeatedly asked the IEC provincial office to hold the

ballot, but there had been no response.

Khost PC members took oath of office a week back and

since have been planning to elect the administrative

delegation..

PUL-I-ALAM (Pajhwok): Police detained six armed

robbers from the house of a failing provincial candidate

during a raid in the Mohammad Agha district of central

Logar province on Monday.

Logar police chief Brig. Gen. Abdul Hakim Ishaqzai told

Pajhwok Afghan News the raid was conducted in the

Kutabkhel area early in the morning.

A six-member gang of armed robbers was detained with

stolen goods from the house of Haji Shaukat Stanikzai,

who contested the April 5 provincial council elections but

his name was removed from the final list winners.

Stanikzai had fled but one of his sons had been arrested.

Ishaqzai said the gang had been involved in stealing

commercial goods on highways using military uniforms.

They also looted passengers on roads.

He said some weapons, 10 military uniforms, daggers,

700 bags of rice and 500 sacks of flour were recovered

from the detainees currently being interrogated.

Efforts at seeking comments from Stanikzai did not

succeed. It was for the first time a gang of robbers has

been detained amid increasing incidents of robberies on

the Kabul-Gardez highway.

Pajhwok Afghan News

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KABUL (Pajhwok): President Ashraf Ghani on Monday

said political issues won’t undermine national security,

praising Afghan forces for their patriotism.

Ghani, who paid a visit to one of the National Directorate of

Security (NDS) offices, thanked NDS personnel for untiring

efforts to do service to the people and the country.

“As a supreme commander of the armed forces, I am

determined to defending your lives, properties and honour”,

a statement from the Presidential Palace quoted President

Ghani as saying.

The president assured the NDS personnel that those having

committed crimes against them and arrested with their

efforts would not go unpunished.

He said the unity government was committed to

professionalising Afghan security forces and improving

their situation.

After being sworn-in on Sept. 29, Ashraf Ghani insisted

security forces should remain apolitical organs in order to

bring peace and security to the country.

Robbery gang arrested from PC candidate’s home

By: Abdul Maqsood Azizi ‎,Date: 2014-11-17

Political issues won’t hurt national security: Ghani

By: Pajhwok Reporter ‎,Date: 2014-11-17