Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN) Weekly Election Coverage Newsletter, Oct. 22-23

Page 1

Provincial council poll results today

By: Ahmad Qureshi ‎,Date: 2014-10-24

http://www.elections.pajhwok.com/www.vote.af http://www.pajhwok.com

KABUL (Pajhwok): An official of the Independent

Election Commission (IEC) has indicated the final results

of provincial council polls will be announced today

(Saturday).

Laila Ihrari, an IEC member, told Pajhwok Afghan News

the commission had made the required preparations and

the outcome results would be unveiled at a news

conference at 2pm. She linked the delay in announcing the

result to technical problems, including a mechanism for

vote invalidation, and the Independent Electoral

Complaints Commission’s failure to send the IEC a list of

candidate names. A member of the watchdog, Wais

Barmak, said a joint committee of the two panels had

concluded its work on dealing with technical issues in

compiling the results. He also hinted at changes in in the

initial results. However, Barmak did not elaborate on the

scale of changes. As many as 2,600 candidates, including

308 women, contested the provincial council elections that

were held on April 5, simultaneously with the first round

of the presidential ballot. In the preliminary result

announced by the IEC on May 20, 458 candidates were

declared successful. The final results, originally scheduled

for June 7, were delayed.

KABUL/WASHINGTON (Pajhwok): For the first time

after the political transition in Afghanistan, US President

Barack Obama spoke with his Afghan counterpart Dr.

Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai over the telephone late on

Wednesday.

Also present during the video conference between the two

leaders was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Abdullah

Abdullah. A brief statement from the Presidential Palace

announced the contact but gave no details of the issues the

presidents discussed.

During the video call, the first between the two leaders

after the peaceful transfer of power, Obama invited

Ahmadzai, and Abdullah to the White House early next

year. He commended the president and CEO on their

political agreement, reaffirmed US commitment to support

the unity government and congratulated the two on a

productive first month for the new government.

Bilateral relations, economic cooperation and other issues

of common interest also figured during the meeting at the

Presidential Palace in Kabul.

Ahmadzai confirmed his government’s preparations for

participation in the upcoming conference. He said he

would be going to the international forum with substantial

achievements on the home front.

He billed the conference as important in strengthening the

international community’s confidence in the new unity

government, something that would spur assistance and

support from friendly countries.

During his trip to London, the president will convince

British entrepreneurs to invest in Afghanistan and promote

Afghan exports to UK’s markets.

The conference, scheduled for November 24-25, will be co

-hosted by the governments of the UK and Afghanistan.

Ahmadzai, Abdullah invited to White House

By: Pajhwok Reporter ‎,Date: 2014-10-23

KABUL (Pajhwok): President Dr. Ashraf Ghani

Ahmadzai on Tuesday said his administration would prove

its worth at the upcoming London Conference.

At a meeting with UK’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan

and Pakistan Simon Gass, the president referred to the

preparations made for the international moot.

Unity govt to prove its mettle in London

By: Pajhwok Reporter ‎,Date: 2014-10-22

Pajhwok Afghan News

Page 2

Election Coverage Newsletter

http://www.elections.pajhwok.com http://www.pajhwok.com

The White House said: "The presidents discussed

strengthening the Afghan forces to improve the security

situation in Afghanistan, American and regional support

for an Afghan-led peace process, and near-term Afghan

budgetary reform and longer-term fiscal sustainability."

This was Obama’s first video conference call with

Ahmedzai and Dr Abdullah after the peaceful transfer of

power. Obama reaffirmed US commitment to support the

unity government, and congratulated the two leaders on a

productive first month for the new government, the White

House said.

“The presidents discussed strengthening the Afghan

National Security Forces to improve the security situation

in Afghanistan, American and regional support for an

Afghan-led peace process, and near-term Afghan

budgetary reform and longer-term fiscal sustainability,”

the White House said.

Obama had sent a designation to attend the Inauguration

of Ahmadzai as president on September 29. John David

Podesta, counselor to Obama, led the team.

During the election crisis, Obama had phoned Ahmadzai

and Abdullah, calling for an early deal on the national

unity government in the interest of shoring up

international support for Afghanistan.

Following the unity government’s inauguration, the

Obama administration has reaffirmed on several occasions

America’s commitment to supporting Afghanistan.

Just a day after Ahmadzai took oath as president, the two

countries signed the Bilateral Security Agreement,

providing for the continued stay of a residual US force in

Afghanistan beyond 2014. Since Taliban's ouster from

power, the US military has lost at least 2,207 personnel in

Afghanistan.

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): A former governor on

Friday urged President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Chief

Executive Dr. Abdullah Abdullah to focus on implementing

their reform agenda at a good clip in the best interest of

Afghanistan.

Gul Agha Sherzai told a gathering in the Dand district of

southern Kandahar province that the peaceful transfer of

power in the wake of the disputed presidential election was

a giant stride toward strengthening democracy in the

country. He also called for the masses to extend a helping

hand to the new administration in introducing administra-

tive reforms. However, he claimed that some domestic and

foreign circles were out to weaken the national unity

government. Without naming anyone, Sherzai said critics

painted a grossly negative picture of the political landscape

by predicting the early fall of the present dispensation. But

he hoped the government would be able to prove its

stability and acumen. He believed the new leadership would

appoint a professional and competent Cabinet to handle the

multiple challenges facing Afghanistan. The people of

Kandahar expected good governance, economic

self-reliance and an end to graft and drug smuggling.

In his remarks, Khalili said: “My deeds are not as big as my

friends say, but I thank them for their love.” On the

peaceful transition of power, Khalili said he was happy that

he had been supporting former president Hamid Karzai in

this regard.

“The problem the previous government faced was the

opposition but now both of the campaigns have joined force

for Afghanistan’s development and there are no differences

among them,” Khalili added.

The Hazara community leader said steps taken by the new

government during the first month of its inauguration were

appreciable and people wished the new leader would take

effective measures to improve the country’s situation.

“I tried my level best to do something good for the

wellbeing of our people,” he said.

Sherzai drums up support for unity govt

By: Bashir Ahmad Nadem ‎,Date: 2014-10-24

Ahmadzai asks ex-VP to support new govt-

By: Khwaja Basir Fitri ‎,Date: 2014-10-23

KABUL (Pajhwok): President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai on

Thursday praised former vice-president Karim Khalili’s

efforts at strengthening democracy, peace and

reconstruction.

Ahmadzai said this in a message read out to a gathering of

more than one thousand people at the Loya Jirga tent

paying tribute to Khalili. A message from his first

Vice-President Gen. Abdur Rashid Dostum was also read

out.Ahmadzai praised Khalili’s contributions to the Jihad

movement and to the Afghan government during the past

13 years. He urged the ex-VP to cooperate with the new

government and share his experience with it.Dostum

praised Khalili for maintaining justice among the people

and his honest efforts at ensuring a peaceful transfer of

power. The former VP was presented appreciation letters

from civil society groups.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Members of the lower house of the

parliament on Saturday called for the accountability of the

election commission chiefs, blaming them for making the

electoral process controversial.

Lawmakers want election chiefs sacked

By: Azizullah Hamdard ‎,Date: 2014-10-25

Pajhwok Afghan News

Page 3

Election Coverage Newsletter

http://www.elections.pajhwok.com http://www.pajhwok.com

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Independent Directorate of Local

Governance (IDLG) on Saturday welcomed the

long-awaited announcement of final results from the April

provincial council (PC) polls as a key step toward

empowering state institutions. IDLG spokesman Tawab

Ghorzang said PC members were public representatives at

the local level and their role was important in strengthening

democratic institutions.

Evaluating the performance of the Independent Election

Commission (IEC) and Independent Electoral Complaint

Commission (IECC) and chalking out forms were on the

Wolesi Jirga agenda for today’s session.

Muhammad Naeem Hameedzai, an MP from southern

Kandahar province, noted that by delaying and disputing the

electoral results, the commissions had violated the

Constitution as well as the relevant law.

With corrupt and fraudulent election workers yet to be

unmasked, the credibility and integrity of the polls had been

put at stake, he argued. “In Kandahar, names of the

candidates who were given votes by the people are not

present on the assembly list. But the names of those

involved in ballot-stuffing are there.”

Ahmad Shah Ramazan, his colleague from northern Balkh

province, Ghulam Hussain Nasiri from central Wardak and

Abdul Qayyum Sajjadi from Ghazni called for the removal

of the commission chiefs. They stressed the need to

revitalise this important institutions and restore their

credibility. Accountability of the corrupt was crucial for

this, they said.

Fauzia Kofi, a woman lawmaker from northeastern

Badakhshan province, alleged the public had lost confidence

in the electoral system. She believed computerised national

identity cards would help stop rigging in the future.

Speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi also stressed transparency of

future elections. Though, the IEC and IECC claimed to have

organised the elections in the best possible way, reluctance

of its chiefs to defend their claims in the parliament had

made their claims less convincing, he said.

PC results to empower institutions: IDLG

By: Pajhwok Reporter ‎,Date: 2014-10-25

Provincial poll results unveiled after 7 months

By: Ahmad Qureshi ‎,Date: 2014-10-25

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Independent Election

Commission (IEC) on Saturday announced the final

results from the provincial council elections that were held

seven months ago.

IEC Chairman Ahmad Yousaf Nuristani, unveiling the

outcome at a news conference in Kabul, said 458

candidates, including 97 women, had found their way to

provincial councils.

The commission will place the results on its website two

hours after their announcement. Nuristani said 19,785

polling sites had opened on the voting day, with no ballots

cast at 74 polling stations.

Among males, the biggest winner polled 21,420 votes and

the worst loser got only two ballots. Among females, one

contender won 9,409 to emerge on the top. Another settled

for 124 ballots to finish at the rock bottom.

The delay has been linked to technical problems,

including a mechanism for vote invalidation, and the

Independent Electoral Complaints Commission’s failure

to send the IEC a list of candidate names.

A joint committee of the two panels had concluded its

work on Friday on dealing with technical issues in

compiling the results. As many as 2,600 candidates,

including 308 women, contested the provincial council

elections that were held on April 5, simultaneously with

the first round of the presidential ballot.

In the preliminary result announced by the IEC on May

20, 458 candidates were declared successful. The final

results, originally scheduled for June 7, were delayed.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Losing provincial council candidates

on Sunday alleged the April 5 vote had not been

conducted in a transparent manner, paving the ground for

mafia leaders and influential figures to make it to the

provincial bodies.

Final results from the elections held seven months ago

were announced a day earlier. The results show 458

candidates, including 97 women, had won seats on the

provincial councils.

Hamida Wardak, a losing candidate in Kabul, said she

would not accept the outcome announced by the

Independent Election Commission IEC because real

winners had been missing from the list of successful

candidates. She accused ‘suborned IEC officials’ of

rigging the results in favour of influential and mafia-linked

candidates. Similarly, Hafizullah Barakzai, another

unsuccessful runner in Kabul, alleged the IEC had failed

to discharge its legal duties in accordance with the election

law. Razia Iqbalzada, a losing candidate in central

Bamyan province, alleged IEC officials had sold votes to

influential figures at polling stations. She said each vote

had been sold for $ 10 to 20, claiming votes cast for her at

a polling centre in the Shibar district were marked for her

rival. In northern Kunduz province, losing candidate

Jamila Karimi said she was winner in preliminary results

for collecting 1559 votes but now her name had been

removed from the final list. She accused her opponents of

influencing the results. Karimi announced contesting

parliamentary polls. Meanwhile, IEC chief Muhammad

Yousaf Nuristani urged PC candidates to accept the results

and respect the public mandate. He recalled more than

seven million people had exercised their right to

enfranchise in the provincial council elections, with

women constituting 36 percent of them.

Losing PC runners accuse IEC of fraud

By: Pajhwok Reporter ‎,Date: 2014-10-26

KABUL (Pajhwok): The United Nations on Sunday

welcomes Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission

(IEC) announcement of the final results from the April

provincial council polls.

Preliminary results of the elections held on April 5 were

unveiled on May 20, but the final outcome was initially

delayed by the high volume of complaints submitted to the

Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC).

The results were further postponed by the electoral

authorities’ focus on the presidential election, which

eventually threw up the national unity government, led by

President Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai.

In a statement, the United Nations congratulated the

successful candidates and acknowledged the commitment of

IEC and IECC to deliver the final results.

Senate delegation to probe PC poll results

By: Abasin Zaheer ‎,Date: 2014-10-26

Pajhwok Afghan News

Page 4

Election Coverage Newsletter

http://www.elections.pajhwok.com http://www.pajhwok.com

He added provincial councils had a good history of

identifying problems facing local populations, providing

them the required services and helping improve law and

order in local governance. Earlier, Independent Election

Commission (IEC) chairman Ahmad Yousaf Nuristani,

unveiling the outcome at a news conference in Kabul, said

458 candidates, including 97 women, had found their way

to the councils. IDLG director Saeed Ahmad Khamosh

said PC members would start their official duty after

taking oath in their respective provinces. He said two PC

members from each province would be selected for Me-

shrano Jirga or upper house seats within 15 days.

Khamosh said within a month, all PC members would be

invited to Kabul for a training session to know their duties

and responsibilities.

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Meshrano Jirga -- or the upper

house of the parliament -- on Sunday appointed a delega-

tion to investigate the final results from the April provincial

council elections. As the Senate debate the results that were

announced after seven months of wait, a number of

lawmakers accused the election bodies of committing fraud.

UN welcomes provincial council results

By: Pajhwok Reporter ‎,Date: 2014-10-26

KABUL (Pajhwok): President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai’s

special advisor on reforms and good governance Ahmad

Zia Massoud on Monday formally assumed office, the

Presidential Palace said. A statement from the palace

quoted President Ahmadzai as portraying Massoud a

determined and patriotic person keen on working for

Afghanistan’s stability. The president offered his best

wishes to Massoud on assuming his job, saying that his

work would help bring about peace and stability to the

country. During his election campaign, Ahmadzai had

promised giving the chief executive officer’s post to

Massoud in case of his victory, but Massoud distanced him

from the position for the sake of the formation of the unity

government.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Accusing election officials of

committing widespread irregularities in provincial council

polls, some Meshrano Jirga members on Tuesday asked the

government to subject the two electoral bodies to a drastic

reshuffle. After being put on hold for seven months, final

results from the April 5 provincial council elections were

released two days ago by the Independent Election

Commission (IEC), declaring 457 contenders, including 97

females, as winners. The results sparked heated debates at

the Meshrano Jirga or upper house of the parliament.

Senator Hidayatullah Rehaee from central Bamyan province

said officials of the electoral bodies had committed

large-scale irregularties in the democratic exercise and

should be brought to justice. “If the same officials remain

on the commissions, they will once again earn Afghanistan

elections a bad name and question their credibility,” the

lawmaker remarked.

His colleague from southern Kandahar province, Bismillah

Afghanmal, said the elections could not be conducted in a

transparent way despite the fact the ballots plunged the

people of Afghanistan into deep political, economic and

other crises.

“Officials of the election commissions did commit

widespread fraud. They declared winners those who either

suborned them or had connections,” he said.

Sifatullah Haqmal, who represents central Logar province,

said leaderships of the electoral bodies should be brought to

justice for the irregularities.

“Our sources in the electoral bodies say bribes are being

accepted in the commissions. Up to $50,000 has been taken

from candidates to emerge successful,” he claimed.

Similar views were expressed by other members of the

house. But election officials, dismissing the allegations as

unfounded, say they are ready to be held accountable.

They admit problems in the elections but say they tried their

level best to ensure the elections were held in a transparent

manner.

Massoud formally assumes office

By: Mohammad Asif Ahmadzai ‎,Date: 2014-10-27

Pajhwok Afghan News

Page 5

Election Coverage Newsletter

http://www.elections.pajhwok.com http://www.pajhwok.com

Second Deputy Chairman Rafiullah Gul Afghan claimed

the Independent Election Commission and the

Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC)

had dealt with some candidate selectively.

“On the eve of the election result, my name remained on

the list (of successful candidates), but now it is missing,”

the senator said, blaming the commissions for being unfair

to him.

He claimed having documentary evidence of the election

officials receiving bribes. Several runners were ready to

say on oath that they had paid bribes, the MP said,

warning of leading protests in Kabul.

A legislator from southern Zabul province, Daud Hasas,

also alleged his name was excluded from the list of

winners at the eleventh hour. He asked the commissions to

convince him why he was removed from the list.

His colleague from Kabul Khaliqdad Balaghi lashed out at

the election bodies for committing irregularities. “Unless

convinced by the commissions, I won’t allow senators

from other provinces to enter the house.

Chairing the session, Deputy Chairman Mohammad Alam

Ezedyar announced a Senate delegation would start

probing the results tomorrow and submit its findings to the

house on Tuesday.

MPs want election officials booked

By: Abasin Zaheer ‎,Date: 2014-10-28

KABUL (Pajhwok): Protesting provincial candidates and

their supporters on Tuesday staged a rally in Kabul,

accusing the election commissions of fraud and asking

court to take action against those involved in vote rigging.

Attended by 250 people including 20 provincial

candidates, the rally was held in front of the United

Nations Assistant Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)

office. The protestors blocked the busy Kabul-Nangarhar

highway.

Rafiullah Gul Afghan, who was announced winner in the

preliminary results but his name was removed from the

final list, said: “Those who did not have 500 votes have

won the election but a candidate with more than 4,500

votes failed.”

Afghan accused the poll bodies, especially the

Independent Election Commission (IEC), of

embezzlement and illegal purchase of armored vehicles.

He said they would continue their protest until their rights

were granted.

He did not name any election official involved in

corruption, but said those who betrayed the nation should

be taken to task. Afghan asked the government to create a

special court to probe candidates’ complaints and

investigate the election officials.

He said there he had documents of corruption by the

election commission in favour of some provincial

Protesting candidates say their mandate stolen

By: Khwaja Basir Ahmad ‎,Date: 2014-10-28

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Two dead men -- Hashmat

Khalil Karzai and Khan Mohammad Afghan are on the list

of successful candidates for the Kandahar provincial

council (PC).

Khalil Karzai, who was assassinated in a suicide bombing at

his residence in Dand district on Eid day, secured 11,818

votes. Shot dead by police in Kandahar City on June 28,

Afghan won 8325 ballots.

Under the Constitution, in the event of a successful

candidate’s death, the runner-up will be notified as winner.

But despite their passing, the two men remain on the list.

Independent Election Commission official Najib Achakzai

agreed the deceased runners’ names should have been

excised from the list under the law.

Speaking exclusively to Pajhwok Afghan News, Achakzai

referred to Article 31 of the Election Law. In line with

Clause 2, if a candidate cannot occupy his/her seat or by

any reason leaves it during the provincial council’s tenure,

the next most vote winner of the same gender will be

awarded the seat.

In previous instances, the IEC official explained, seats thus

vacated had gone to winners’ relatives. But the practice was

in conflict with the law, he acknowledged, stressing

reelection/replacement had to be based on merit.

Dead among Kandahar PC seat winners

By: Bashir Ahmed Naadem ‎,Date: 2014-10-28

Pajhwok Afghan News

Page 6

Election Coverage Newsletter

http://www.elections.pajhwok.com http://www.pajhwok.com

Some sitting senators, who contested the provincial

council elections, are among losing candidates. Of the 102

-member upper house, 68 senators are appointed among

provincial council members.

Senate Chairman Fazl Hadi Muslimyar, however, said

thousands of people had contested the provincial council

polls and the electoral bodies could not declare all of them

as winners.

“The commissions have followed the law passed by us. At

this stage when the winners have been announced, what

action we take will be against the law.”

candidates and evidence would be shared with the

media.Another failed candidate, Abdul Qayyum Ilmi, said

their objective was to ensure justice and pave the way for

candidates getting their rights. “The election commissions

have insulted Afghans with their poor performances.”

He also asked the government to take the corrupted officials

to task. Ilmi claimed some runners were announced winners

by their friends in the Independent Electoral Complaints

Commission (IECC).

Another candidate Musa Khan said: “Our votes have been

stolen; we are protesting here so UNAMA, which will hear

our voice.” He said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr

Abdullah had also struggled to obtain his right.

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Some losing provincial council

(PC) candidates in eastern Nangarhar province on Tuesday

alleged their well-off rivals used money and political

connections to win seats on the council. They called for a

thoroughgoing investigation into the final results from the

April 5 PC elections to expose those who had been

declared winners in return for money. After being put on

hold for seven months, results from the elections were

announced two days ago by the Independent Election

Commission (IEC), sparking protests by losing

contenders. Malak Nasib, who contested the election as an

independent candidate, told Pajhwok Afghan News

alleged that a number of IEC officials had demanded

$70,000 from him in return for putting his name in the list

of winning candidates. He said he could not afford the

staggering amount and thus declared a loser, but gave

nothing as evidence in support of his claim. “A little

investigation can unearth the fraud committed by the IEC.

I wonder how long for corrupt officials will be appointed.”

Final PC results: Losing runners cry foul

By: Mahbubullah Mahboob ‎,Date: 2014-10-28

LASHKARGAH (Pajhwok): As many as 10 new faces ---

young and educated --- have found their way to the 15-

member provincial council of southern Helmand province.

The April 5 elections were contested by 92 individuals, with

15, including five former members, making it to the body.

Mostly youth make it to Helmand PC

By: Zainullah Stanikzai ‎,Date: 2014-10-28

Pajhwok Afghan News

Page 7

Election Coverage Newsletter

http://www.elections.pajhwok.com http://www.pajhwok.com

But Kandahar PC member Haji Agha Lalai Dastgiri said

the law was applicable only when a candidate died a

natural death. In accordance with a Cabinet decision, if a

public representative is assassinated, his/her seat will

remain vacant.

In this context, he recalled the killings of Nangarhar PC

members Sitara Achakzai, Mohammad Younas Hussaini

and Ahmad Wali Karzai. Their seats were kept vacant till

the council tenure expired.

Resident Haji Gul Ahmad opined a vacant seat should go

to the runner-up. If the law is followed in letter and spirit,

he argued, the public would not be deprived of

representation on the council.

Some 80 individuals, including eight women and some 20

percent youth, were in the run for the 19-member council,

which previously had 15 members. Six of the members

have to be women.

Nasib said the successful candidates included those who

had no supporter even in their neighbourhood.

Asmatullah, another unsuccessful runner from the Rodat

district, said individuals who had money and connections

found their way to the Nangarhar council.

“All influential and those having no support from the

masses bought votes from the IEC,” he said, adding those

declared losers in the preliminary results appeared

successful in the final results.

Similarly, Mohammad Zahir Sapi, whose name was

missing from the final list, said the IEC leadership had not

been fair in compiling the results.

He said the existing norm had been violated because there

were votes which needed to be quarantined, but the IEC did

not put the dubious ballots in isolation in return for money.

“I hold the IEC responsible. It did not probe complaints in a

proper way and its decisions were based on corruption,” he

alleged.

Being a resident of Nangarhar, Sapi said he would not

recognise the successful candidates as public

representatives because they had stolen the public mandate.

Another loser Haji Mohammad Anwar Ikram said the

losing candidates had decided to approach the IEC and the

Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC)

because the two bodies had played with people’s

expectations.

“We urge the president to bring to justice leaderships of the

two electoral bodies because we have evidence and will

never stay silent,” warned Ikram.

He claimed only 30 candidates had won with clean votes

nationwide and the rest made it to the provincial bodies

using money and connections.

Residents also said most candidates were declared

successful in return for money and they were not their real

representatives.

A resident of the Behsud district, Syeda Jan, said

individuals who had no popularity in the masses found their

way to the provincial council.

“I don’t think people would cast their votes in future

elections keeping in mind the scale of fraud and problems

in the previous polls,” he remarked.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Revised results from the April 5

provincial council polls released on Tuesday by the

Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC)

declared 47 previously losing candidates as winners. The

revision that came in light of investigations into

complaints altered outcome in 21 provinces. In Kabul,

seven candidates, who previously finished runners up,

would replace their as many rivals earlier declared as

winners.

Revised PC polls results replace 47 runners

By: Nasrat Samimi ‎,Date: 2014-10-28

Pajhwok Afghan News

Page 8

Election Coverage Newsletter

http://www.elections.pajhwok.com http://www.pajhwok.com

Hayatullah Mayar, a youth and winner, told Pajhwok

Afghan News he would honour what promises he had held

out to his supporters during his campaign. He said the

electoral process had been transparent because mostly

youth had won seats.

Haji Hashim, another winner from Sangin district, said all

the previous and new runners were popular individuals

and were electable.

“In the previous term, a number of provincial council

members were involved in corruption and failed to serve

their constituents and did not discharge their

responsibilities,” he claimed.

Nabia, a female winner, said she had long been looking for

a chance to serve women in Helmand. “Now as I have

won, I pray to Allah to support me in serving the public,

especially women,” she added.

Shocked by his defeat seeking reelection, former

provincial council head Abdul Bari Barakzai said his

campaign had not been well. “This is not someone’s

property. We can’t hold the position forever,” said

Barakzai, expressing hope the new winners would serve

better because they were mostly youth.

But another loser, Roohullah claimed a number of

provincial council members were a victim of rigging.

A shopkeeper in the provincial capital said results from

the provincial elections were transparent and everyone

was satisfied with the outcome.

Following are names of the newly-declared winners and

those removed from the list of winners.

Kabul: Azimullah Niazi, Maiwand Nasiri, Sher Ali

Ahmadzai, Lotfullah Noumani, Qayum Qambri, Abdul

Ahad Ali Sharifa Sherzad replace previous winners Mir

Wali Mazloomyar, Bahadur Bedar Zazi, Shafiullah

Gorbandi, Tajuddin Behrami, Rafiullah Gul Afghan,

Hafizullah Tokhi and Nazia Nazari.

Heart: Abdul Rassoul Jamshidi, Abdul Rehman Muradi,

Noor Ahmad Haideri, Muhammad Sardar Bahaduri,

Ahmad Jawed Rauf and Jahantab Tahiri replace earlier

winners Muhammad Kabir Essar, Abdul Wadood Faizzada,

Muhammad Askar Anwari, Noor Muhammad Tariqi, Fazal

Rehman Tayab and Farishta Sheren.

Kandahar: Naimatullah Sher Dili, Naimatullah Wafa,

Zarghona Salehi and Sareen Faizi have been declared as

winners against Mukhtar Rashidi, Attaullah Atta, Jameela

Yousafi and Fareeda Ahmadi.

Logar: In eastern Logar province, Addalat Abdul

Raheemzai, Abdul Wali and Muhammad Nasir Gherat

made it to the provincial council replacing Najeebullah

Sherzai, Sultan Jan Khaksar and Ghulam Farooq Siddiqui.

Kunduz: In northern Kunduz province, Safiullah Amiri and

Kareema Sadiqui have been declared winners in place of

Jamal Abdul Nasir and Jameela Karimi.

Farah: In western Farah province, Shah Mahmood Naemi

and Abdul Baseer Kherkhwa have been declared winners in

place of earlier declared winners Abdul Hameed Hameed

and Abdul Satar Rahimi.

Daikundi: In central Daikundi province, Syed Zakria

Hashmi and Ibrahim Rehmani Baloch announced as

winners against Ghulam Hussain Joya and Muhammad

Baqar Mubalaigh.

Jozjan: In western Jozjan Najeebullah Jalili and

Muhammad Nabi replace Hafeezullah Nudrat and Sher

Muhammad Noor.

Panjshir: In central Panjshir province, Qalandar Khan

Bahaduri and Weda Saeedi replace Abdul Kareem Abbasi

and Zofnon Amiri.

Paktia: In this southwestern province, Muhammad Rehman

Qadri and Shafeequllah Mangal made it to the council at the

cost of Muhammad Naseem Mujahid and Shaista Jan

Ahadi.

Baghlan: In northern Baghlan province, Muhammad Haneef

Kehgudai and Aadila Amini were declared winners over

Mehboobullah Ghafari and Nida Kiani.

Badakhshan

In this north eastern province, Abdullah Naji and Abdullah

Siddiqui replaced Abdul Nasir Ansaar and Kamil Baig

Hussaini.

Laghman: In eastern Laghman, Abdul Aziz and Razia Niazi

were declared winners over Muhammad Zahir Hussainkhail

and Breshna Safi.