MAZAR-I-SHARIF (PAN): Pamphlets claiming that President Hamid Karzai will withdraw in favour of his key rival Dr. Abdullah Abdullah have secretly been distributed in some districts of the northern Balkh province.

President Karzai's election campaign in charge in Balkh Sardar Saeedi told a news conference on Thursday the pamphlets were based on propaganda of presidential foes. But he did not name the president's rivals.

Saeedi showed the pamphlets to journalists and said they were distributed in Sholgar, Dehdadi, Dawlatabad and some other districts.

The pamphlets say negotiations are underway between President Karzai and his former foreign minister Dr. Abdullah on the upcoming presidential polls. Saeedi did not name any group or individual responsible for distribution of the leaflets.

According to the leaflets, the two candidates have decided on the distribution of ministerial slots and President Karzai would soon announce his withdrawal in favour of Dr. Abdullah. But Saeedi said Karzai was an acceptable leader for the whole Afghan nation and would never pull out of the presidential race.

Engineer Zar Muhammad, in charge of the provincial election commission, was unaware of the distribution of pamphlets. He told Pajhwok that they had not received any complaint so far.

He said the last date for withdrawal has already expired. Any one who distributed the leaflets must be condemned, he added. Zabihullah Ehsas