KHOST CITY (PAN): Head of Afghanistan Tribal Solidarity Council (ATSC) Ghazni Nawaz Tani Saturday said 2000 tribesmen would keep guard on polling stations on the voting day in restive and remote districts of southeastern Khost, Paktia and Paktika provinces.

Speaking at a gathering participated by tribal elders in Khost City, Tani said the tribesmen would voluntarily provide their services for the purpose.

He added the tribesmen, laced with their own weapons, will secure polling stations in all those remote districts and areas where there was no influence of the government. Tani appealed to the people of those areas under threat from insurgents to participate in next week's presidential and provincial council elections.

He revealed he had a meeting with opposition forces through mediation of tribal elders to convince them not to disrupt the elections. He said he had asked the Taliban to give a chance to locals to exercise their right to vote. Without giving details, he said some Taliban had promised him not to interrupt the vote.

The ATSC chief also expressed his concern at transparency of the elections and warned that tens of thousands of illegal female registration cards had been distributed that would question the legitimacy of the elections.

Also on Saturday, a spokesman for the Balkh police at a joint press conference with an ISAF official in Mazar-i-Sharif said that security forces have been deployed to protect polling stations in the province.

Sher Jan Durani said all voters will be able to go freely to around 318 polling stations in the province on the voting day. His claim came amid recent increase in violence related attacks in the province.

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