KABUL (Pajhwok): The youth from Loya Paktia --- a region comprising southeastern Paktia, Khost and Paktika provinces --- on Thursday rejected claims that the June 14 presidential runoff vote had been rigged in the three provinces.
They told a press conference in Kabul that they strongly condemned the allegations raised by members of presidential candidate Dr. Abdullah Abdullah’s campaign.
Abdullah’s campaign members claim massive rigging had taken place in Khost, Paktia and Paktika provinces in favour of his rival candidate Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai.
Speaking on behalf of the youth from Loya Paktia, Sanaullah Zazai told reporters that residents of the three provinces thronged polling stations in the face of Taliban’s threats to elect a candidate of their choice.
There had been massive turnouts in the three provinces, he said. “But a particular presidential hopeful and his supporters are making false claims against the turnouts in Loya Paktia. We residents of Loya Paktia strongly condemn such impressions and urge the government, the election commissions and the international community to help prevent these conspiracies.”
Zazai said no one had the right to spoil the votes cast by the people of Loya Paktia and in case it happened, they would put up strong resistance in the defence of their votes.
“We have offered great sacrifices for the sake of elections and we will not accept the cancelation of a single vote.”
Another youth representative Mohammad Wali Minanak told the press conference that the people of Loya Paktia would not allow anyone to make a mockery of their votes.
“No one has the right to push the country into crisis for their own political interests and if it happens, the elements involved would be held responsible,” he said.
He also said the election commission should not come under pressure from anyone and should respect the public mandate and separate fraudulent votes from guanine ones.
He asked security organs to stay away from interfering into the electoral process in order to keep the country from plunging into a deep political turmoil.
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