KABUL (Pajhwok): Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Abdullah Abdullah on Wednesday barred election officials from traveling abroad.
In a decree, whose copy has been obtained by Pajhwok Afghan News, Abdullah banned chairpersons and members of both election panels from leaving the country.
The CEO ordered the Ministry of Interior to take the matter seriously, warning that any negligence in implementation of the decree would not be brooked.
 Omaid Mesam, deputy spokesman for the CEO, confirmed to Pajhwok that Abdullah had banned chiefs and members of electoral bodies from going abroad.
Fazal Ahmad Manawi, technical director of the Stability and Partnership team, said the restriction was aimed to hold IEC and IECC to account for possible election fraud.
He claimed leaders of the electoral commissions were denied visas at all embassies they had approached. “Now the Presidential Palace has provided them political passports to pave the way for their escape to Turkey.”
sa/mud