Campaign

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Chief campaigner for Zalmai Rassoul during the April 5 presidential elections in eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday declared support to frontrunner Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai.
The announcement was made at a gathering, where a number of religious scholars and Sikh community members voiced their support for Ghani in the runoff election due on June 14.
Participants said they were optimistic that the turnout in the second round of elections would be higher than the previous round in eastern provinces.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Presidential candidate Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai on Sunday said Ahmad Zia Massoud would be appointed as a third-vice president by amending the Constitution if he won the runoff presidential race.
Ghani told reporters in Kabul that he had signed a 10-article agreement with Massoud on the issue of amending the Constitution to pave the way for his appointment as third VP.
Under the Article 1 of the agreement, Ghani said he had agreed to amend the Constitution to increase the presence of prominent political and tribal figures in his administration.

GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Leading Presidential candidate Dr. Abdullah Abdullah on Saturday made clear no one would be allowed to spread linguistic and ethnic fanaticism or frictions among the Afghans.
Addressing a mammoth gathering in connection with his poll campaign in southeastern Paktika province, Abdullah urged thousands of people to vote for his team for the sake of reforms and security.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Former jihadi Leader Eng. Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai and other elders of his tribe on Friday announced support to presidential contender Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai in the runoff ballot due on June 14.
The assurance of support came at a gathering held at the residence of Ahmadzai in Kabul. Hundreds of Ahmadzai tribe elders participated in the meeting.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Former vice-president Ahmad Zia Massoud on Thursday formally announced support to presidential contender Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai in the second round of the ballot.
Zia Massoud pledged support to Ahmadzai at a meeting attended by the two leaders and members of the electoral team at the Loya Jirga tent in Kabul.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Frontrunner Dr. Abdullah Abdullah on Wednesday warned many plots were being hatched to create differences among the Afghans on ethnic lines, saying such attempts would not be allowed to succeed.
Addressing a gathering, where the Afghanistan Youth Solidarity Party’s head Jamil Karzai joined his camp, Abdullah said those trying to fuel ethnic divisions among the Afghans would not be able to achieve their goals.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Amid security concerns, three-week canvassing for the runoff election between Dr. Abdullah Abdullah and Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai would begin on Thursday, an official said on Wednesday.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Daud Sultanzoy, who contested the April 5 presidential polls, announced support to frontrunner Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai on Wednesday in the runoff -- due on June 14.
Sultanzoy, who did not win a significant portion of votes and trailed far behind in the first round, joined forces with Ghani, who is facing Dr. Abdullah in the runoff.
The announcement was made at a huge gathering in Kabul, where the former World Bank economist was present. Sultanzoy said he had consulted his team before announcing support to Ghani.

KABUL (Pajhwok): Uzbek leader Rashid Dostum and Paktia Governor Juma Khan Hamdard reconciled on Monday, ending a long-running feud between the two influential figures, an official said.
The Junbish-i-Milli Islami leader is contesting the presidential elections as first-vice presidential candidate of frontrunner Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, who spearheaded the reconciliation effort, said Roohullah Samoon, Hamdard’s spokesman.
The differences between Dostum and Hamdard broke out seven years ago, when Hamdard was the governor of northern Jawzjan province.

FARAH CITY (Pajhwok): Supporters of Gul Agha Sherzai in the first round presidential elections in western Farah province on Tuesday announced they would back frontrunner Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai in the possible runoff race.
The announcement comes days after Sherzai joined forces with top-voted presidential runner Dr. Abdullah Abdullah.
A large number of Sherzai’s supporters on Tuesday gathered in Farah City and announced their backing for Ghani, a former finance minister, said Haji Syed Ahmad, who campaigned for Sherzai in the first round elections.