Polls go well in Panjsher, Paktika and Kunar

PARAKH/SHARANA/ASADABAD (Pajhwok): Massive turnout was reported in Panjsher, Paktika and Kunar provinces, where most polling stations stayed open on the election day, officials said on Saturday.

In central Panjsher province, the election was peaceful amid a high turnout.
A resident of Rokhi district, Darwish, told Pajhwok he was happy that there were no reports about rigging in Panjsher, claiming the turnout was larger than the previous elections in April.
Independent Election Commission official Fida Jan Faraji more people took place in the second round of election in Panjsher than the previous round.
He said huge turnout at a female polling site in Bazarak, the provincial capital, resulted into shortage of ballot papers, which were resupplied.
However, a resident of Bazarak, Hamid, said some people committed fraud in favour of presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai.
Panjsher governor Abdul Rahman Kabiri also said said two IEC officials, who stuffed ballot boxes for Ghani, had been arrested in Dari district.
But Faraji rejected the claims as baseless, saying fraud had not been committed in the district.
Officials and residents said no incident of violence was reported throughout Panjsher.
In Paktika, officials said the election passed off in a peaceful environment and all polling stations stayed open.
IEC chief in Paktia Zabihullah Wogarai said all the 266 polling centres remained open and there had been no incident of violence.
Police chief Brig. Gen. Nabi Jan Mullakhel said there were a few incidents of violence but none could disrupt the voting process.
He said a woman was injured when a rocket hit her house in the Mata Khan district.
Security officials said the turnout was higher than the previous election.
A resident of Sharan, the provincial capital, Abdullah said the people had voted for the sake of peace and stability.
In eastern Kunar province, all polling centres stayed open and people thronged polling stations despite some attacks by insurgents, killing 10 people, including three security men.
Governor Shujaul Mulk Jalal said there were 94 polling centres and all stayed open.
He said some polling stations ran out of ballot papers but the problem was quickly resolved.
The governor said 10 people died during today’s violence and they included seven civilians and three security officials.
Another 27 civilians and 11 Afghan National Army personnel were injured during insurgent attacks, he said.
He added nearly a dozen insurgents were killed and 13 others wounded after security forces retaliated to their attacks.
The governor also said Pakistani forces fired at least 20 rockets into the Shegal district, but there were no casualties.
IEC chief in Kunar Mohammad Zahir Akbar said five polling stations ran out of ballot papers ahead of the closing time.
He also claimed powerful individuals threatened election officials in some areas, but the election in overall was held in a satisfactory environment.
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