Campaign

PUL-I-KHUMRI/MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Hundreds of people on Tuesday gathered in northern Baghlan province, voicing support to presidential candidate Dr. Zalmai Rassoul.
A gathering of about 500 people in Baghlan-i-Markazi district vowed support to Rassoul, a former foreign minister in the President Karzai Cabinet, in the April elections.
Syed Mohammad, an ex-jihadi commander, told Pajhwok Afghan News the gathering coincided with the opening of a campaign office of Rassoul in the district.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Forty-four of 248 parliamentarians, interviewed by Pajhwok Afghan News over the past week, support front-line presidential runner Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai.
Forty one lawmakers backDr. Zalmai Rassoul while as 39 support Dr. Abdullah Abdullah . Qayyum Karzai, brother of the incumbent president, is supported by 10 MPs, Prof. Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayyaf by 17 and Gul Agha Sherzai by 3.

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Islamic Party, led by Azizullah Din Mohammad, on Monday pledged support to front-line presidential runner Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai.
President Hamid Karzai’s campaign manager in the previous election, Din Mohammad hailed Ahmadzai as a competent leader who could steer the country out of problems.
Addressing a public gathering in Kabul, he asked the candidate to work for strengthening peace, introducing the Islamic system protecting Afghanistan’s territorial integrity.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Hundreds of civil society activists on Saturday announced their support to presidential candidate Gul Agha Sherzai at a gathering in Kabul.
Sherzai’s campaign manager Mohammad Mohammadi said hundreds of individuals -- representing various civil society groups -- attended the gathering.
Activists from Afghan Youth Cultural Association, National Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, Afghan Students Association, Social Council of Safa Residential Shahrak and Ahl-i-Bait Association were present at the gathering.

BAMYAN CITY (Pajhwok): Presidential candidate Gul Agha Sherzai, who arrived in central Bamyan province in connection with his election campaign, on Sunday promised asphalting 50 kilometres of roads in the province.
Addressing a gathering arranged by Hezb-i-Wahdat Milli Islami party in Bamyan City, the former Nangarhar governor also promised the construction of industrial parks, vocational schools, development of the tourism industry and electricity projects.

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Afghanistan Milli Tehreek (national movement) Party led by Ismail Yun on Saturday announced its support to presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai.
In a statement, the party said it had been assessing programmes and agendas of the 11 candidates since the announcement of the final candidate list to see which one of them matched the movement’s policies.
The party wanted to swing behind a candidate, who had the passion and ability to promote and preserve the national values--- humanity, Afghan code of life and Islam.

KABUL/MAIMANA (Pajhwok): The Ismaili community on Thursday organised a rally in Kabul, pledging support to leading presidential candidate Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, who also mustered such backing in northern Faryab province.
Hundreds of the Ismaili community members attended the rally organised under the aegis of Paiwand Milli Party of Afghanistan.
The participants said they supported Ahmadzai for his clear agenda and programmes, which they believed could guarantee a better future for Afghanistan.

KABUL (Pajhwok): With the two-month presidential election campaign entering a second week, no hopeful has so far been able to move outside the central capital and address rallies in provinces.
Pajhwok reporters in provinces say posters of only four presidential candidates could be seen in provincial capitals.
Residents in some provinces say the campaign has been unenthusiastic as compared to the previous one in the lead-up to the 2009 elections.
Only Daud Sultanzoy had addressed a rally in western Herat province on the campaign’s first day.

KABU (Pajhwok): Presidential hopeful Dr. Abdullah Abdullah on Tuesday stressed the need for the early signing of the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA), saying President Hamid Karzai was authorised to sign or reject the deal.

LASHKARGAH (Pajhwok): Two separate gatherings were held in support of presidential candidates Zalmai Rassoul and Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayyaf in southern Helmand province on Wednesday.
The gathering in support of Rassoul, held in Lashkargah, was attended by about 500 people, said Malim Mirwali, a Wolesi Jirga member from Helmand.