MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Participants of a seminar in northern Balkh province on Wednesday believed early parliamentary elections would help bring peace and stability to the country.
Provincial council members from different provinces and civil society activists attended the seminar, calling for early and fair Wolesi Jirga elections.
Hamid Safwat, one of the seminar’s organizers, told Pajhwok Afghan News they wanted to prepare the ground for free and fair parliamentary polls with the help of civil society groups.
He recalled the disputed presidential election last year gave birth to multiple issues and resulted in formation of the unity government.
Safwat said government’s and powerful individuals’ middling, violations of women rights during elections, women’s right to enfranchise and other related issued were discussed in the seminar.
He said the previous elections had disappointed the masses and eroded their trust in transparent vote. This issue was discussed at the seminar and the public representatives and civil society activist agreed to try to restore people’s trust in elections.
If the provincial council members carried out awareness-creating programs for the masses in a proper way, the result from future elections would be positive.
Mohammad Ibrahim Khair Andish, the Balkh provincial council chief, said the gap between the government and the people had widened due to irregularities in the last fall presidential election.,
However, he said the government could shorten the gap by holding transparent future elections and promptly announcing a date for the parliamentary elections to restore public trust.
The PC chief also said if the Wolesi Jirga continued beyond its constitutional term, it would increase problems for government, which might loss its direction.
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