KANDAHAR CITY (PAN): So far 120,000 people, including 30,000 women, have been distributed voter registration cards in southern Kandahar province, Independent Election Commission (IEC) officials said on Monday.
However, residents in a number of districts complained they had not been able to obtain voter cards due to insecurity and the remoteness of registration centres.
A total of 26 registration centres were opened in Kandahar City, the provincial capital, and districts for registering voters and all centres in districts have been closed, but two centres remain operational in the provincial capital.
Kandahar IEC chief Abdul Hadi said the registration campaign had been hitch-free in the city and districts.
However, a large number of people in remote parts of the province say they could not obtained voter cards for various reasons.
Mianshin district chief Haji Rozi Khan told Pajhwok Afghan the Taliban had planted landmines on many roads in the district to prevent people from visiting voter registration centres.
He said those living in villages had not been able to visit registration centres situated far away from their homes.
However, he said though many received voter cards in the district centre, but a month after the registration began, people stopped coming to the registration office.
Last week, a number of residents and tribal elders from five border districts arrived in the provincial capital, saying many residents in their areas had been deprived of voter cards and they might not take part in next year’s elections.
They had come to the city from Maroof, Arghistan, Spin Boldak, Shorabak and Registan districts, all near the Durand Line.
A tribal elder from Registan, Aminullah, told Pajhwok Afghan News no one in the district had obtained voter card. He said mobile teams did not visit the district to register voters.
He said 20,000 to 30,000 families lived in Registan, but all had failed to get voter cards.
An elder from Maroof district, Haji Azizullah, said the government’s rule was confined to security posts alone in the district. He said people in Sami Ghar, Lowra, Spina Gara, Nawa and Norai areas had not been distributed voter cards.
However, election officials said the registration campaign had been brought to a close after the end of the stipulated time, saying those failing to get cards could approach the registration centres in Kandahar City.
Kandahar’s population is estimated at nearly two million people, but the 120,000 people obtaining voter cards seems to be a small portion of the inhabitants.
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