FARAH CITY (Pajhwok): A Wolesi Jirga hopeful from western Farah province may be released from prison in a couple days after spending about seven months in jail in a fraud case.
Abdul Karim Shafaq has been in jail for the past seven months over holding a fake card of disabled person. His sons are running election campaign in his absence.
Dadullah Qani, a member of the Provincial Council, told Pajhwok Afghan News Shafaq had been in possession of the fake disabled card for seven years despite having no disability.
He said Shafaq pocketed 60,000 afghanis annually from the disabled card and finally intelligence officials identified and arrested him along with his brother.
He said Shafaq registered as a Wolesi Jirga candidate after he was released on bail before being sent back to jail.
Munir Parsa, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) head for Farah, said the Independent Election Complaints Commission (IECC) might release Shafaq in two days.
He said he was unaware how Shafaq registered as a Wolesi Jirga candidate because he assumed office just two weeks back.
But Mirwais Azizi, former acting head of the IEC, said Shafaq went through all legal procedures for nominating himself as a candidate and provided all legal documents.
Pajhwok strived to contact Shafaq’s election campaign office but was unable.
Police headquarters could also be not reached for comment, but IECC spokesman Ali Raza Rohani said local IEC office has full authority to take a decision in this regard.
He said the issue could be referred to the central office if provincial offices could not resolve it.