Campaign

LASHKARGAH/ASADABAD (Pajhwok): Separate gatherings were held in on support of presidential runners Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, Zalmai Rassoul, Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayyaf and Gul Agha Sherzai in Helmand and Logar provinces on Wednesday.
Hundreds of Helmand residents announced their support to Ahmadzai. The candidate’s campaign leader in the province, Haji Bismillah Rohani, said a majority of residents supported Ahmadzai as next president.

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): Presidential runner Hidayat Amin Arsala on Wednesday promised sincere peace negotiations with Taliban if he won the April 5 election.
Addressing hundreds of supporters in Mazar-i-Sharif, Arsala said: “The Afghans need peace and I will launch sincere dialogue with the Taliban in a bid to achieve stability.”
He also referred to widespread corruption in government departments, saying he would introduce good governance and institutional reforms to get rid of the menace.

TALOQAN (Pajhwok): Vice-presidential hopefuls Ahmad Zia Massoud and Abdul Wahab Irfan on Wednesday promised residents of northern Takhar province they would restore peace and introduce Shariah if they succeeded in the upcoming elections.
Massoud, Zalmai Rassoul’s candidate for VP, told hundreds of supporters at an election rally in Taloqan insecurity was a major impediment to Afghanistan’s economic progress and prosperity.

KABUL (Pajhwok): In an expected development, presidential runner Sardar Muhammad Nadir Naeem on Wednesday announced withdrawing from the electoral race in favour of Dr. Zalmai Rassoul.
At a joint news conference with Rassoul in Kabul, Naeem said his decision was driven by the supreme national interest, notably unity among the Afghans.
The decision was taken after consultation with his supporters, said the candidate, who added: “Supporting Zalmai Rassoul will bring us closer to national unity -- and ultimate success.”

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Hezb-i-Wahdat Milli Islami, led by Ustad Mohammad Akbari, on Tuesday announced withdrawing support to presidential candidate Gul Agha Sherzai and joining forces with his rival Zalmai Rassoul.
The party had earlier declared its support to Sherzai, a former governor, at a rally attended by hundreds of people in central Bamyan province. But Akbari told a party meeting in Kabul on Tuesday that the central council had decided to back Rassoul after prolonged deliberations.

GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Leading presidential candidate Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai on Tuesday called on the Afghans to foil attempts at rigging in the April 5 vote in their respective areas.
Ahmadzai, who arrived in Gardez, the capital of southeastern Paktia province, addressed a campaign rally attended by thousands of people, including residents of neighbouring Khost and Logar provinces.
Before Ghani’s coming to the stage, many speakers addressed the gathering at a playground and supported the former finance minister’s programmes.

TALOQAN (Pajhwok): Presidential runner Dr Abdullah Abdullah on Tuesday criticised President Hamid Karzai’s stance on Russia's annexation of Crimea as a flawed foreign policy goal.
At a meeting with a bipartisan US parliamentary delegation in Kabul over the weekend, President Karzai said Afghanistan "respects the free will of the people of Crimea to decide about their own future."

KUNDUZ CITY/ZARANJ (Pajhwok): Dr. Zalmai Rassoul on Tuesday warned warlords and strongmen against violating human rights, saying the perpetrators violators would be punished.
Addressing thousands of people at a gathering in Kunduz City, Rassoul promised to ensure security, combat corruption, enforce the rule of law and disarm armed individuals if he won the April 5 vote.

KABUL (Pajhwok): in a visit to Badakhshan, presidential hopeful Dr. Abdullah has promised to develop the northeastern province if he won the upcoming vote, officials said Monday.
Abdullah told thousands of supporters in Faizabad he would construct a dam and step up trade activity in Badakhshan, which would be transformed into a major transit route.
In case of his election victory, construction work on the Silk Road would resume and transit trade through Badakhshan would be boosted, he added.

PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): Addressing a campaign rally, presidential runner Dr. Zalmai Rassoul on Monday said implementing development projects in northern Baghlan province was among his primary objectives if he won the April elections.
Accompanied by his two running mates and President Hamid Karzai’s brother Mahmoud Karzai, Rassoul told the gathering he would root out administrative corruption if succeeded in the presidential race.