KABUL (Pajhwok): The election commission on Saturday launched a 20-day voter registration process for the upcoming presidential election countrywide but people see the growing insecurity as a major challenge to the Sept 28 poll.
Local officials in northern Sar-i-Pul province during the voter registration process launch today, said lack of security in some districts of the province was a challenge for the process.
Mohammad Noor Rahmani, the provincial council head of Sar-i-Pul, said that 70 percent area of the province was under the control of Taliban insurgents.
“It is beyond the local administration and forces’ ability to ensure security for the province”, he said, adding the presidential election would face with serious challenges in Sar-i-Pul if the central government did not take practical measures to reverse the tide of insecurity.
Meanwhile, Sar-i-Pul Governor Abdul Qadir Ashna said that Afghan forces would launch operations in areas under Taliban influence in near future to pave the ground for voter registration process in the province.
Local officials in Nimroz province also assured people that they would not hesitate from making every effort for addressing challenges facing the voter registration process and the presidential election.
Nimroz Governor Sayed Wali Sultan, said, “We will use all our resources for paving the ground for people’s right to enfranchise and candidates security so people participate in the democratic process with high courage.”
Akhtar Mohammad Khairzada, deputy governor of northeastern Badakhshan governor, criticized provincial election officers for what he said poor awareness programs about elections.
He said, “The only reason for a limited number of people’s turnout at voter registration centers is the poor performance of the Independent Election Commission (IEC).”
He hoped the problem would be solved in future and security forces would ensure security for the voter registration centers.
The governor of central Daikundi province also voiced on local people to participate in the voter registration process and said there were no security problems in this regard.
Sayed Anwar Rahmati warned government workers to avoid interfering in the registration process or they would face legal action.
mds/ma