JALALABAD (PAN): Hundreds of elders in the eastern Nangarhar province held a political gathering to announce their support for President Hamid Karzai during the upcoming runoff scheduled for November 7.
Around 1,000 elders gathered in the Angoor Bagh of Jalalabad, capital of Nangarhar, to announce support for Hamid Karzai. The gathering was organised by head of the Peace Caravan Haji Zahir Qadeer.
The elders declared support for Hamid Karzai and asked the authorities concerned not to postpone the process as demanded by some quarters.
Addressing the gathering, Zahir said the people of Nangarhar would vote for Hamid Karzai on November 7. He said no one would be allowed to play with the future of the Afghan nation.
Regarding the conditionalities put forward by Karzai's rival Abdullah Abdullah, Zahir said demand regarding removal of the election commission head should have come from President Karzai instead of Dr. Abdullah.
"The commission reduced Karzai's 54 per cent votes to 49 and increased Abdullah's 28 per cent to 31," he added. He also said that removal of ministers was the job of the parliament.
He asked the foreign troops not to interfere in the internal affairs of the country. "People from the eastern zone will boycott if the second round of polls was not held in time," said Zahir.
He asked the elders to visit each house and street in your respective areas and persuade every male and female to come and vote on November 7.
Haji Rahmatullah, an elder from Hisarak district, told Pajhwok that they would fully support Karzai in the election. Haji Gul Miran, an elder from Khogiani district, said Abdullah failed to get the required number of votes and he wanted to postpone the runoff elections.
A separate gathering was held in Sharan, capital of the southeastern Paktika province, and the participants announced their support for the second round of polls and condemned the interference of foreigners in the election.
Addressing the gathering, Governor Qayum Khan Katawazai said the people of Paktika had fully participated in the previous polls, but it did not bear results. He said the people were ready to participate in the elections for the second time.
He asked both the candidates to nominate their representatives to oversee all the polling stations instead of crying foul at the latter stage.
Akbar Khan, elder of the Ali Khel district, said the people of Paktika wanted peace. He said they would fully participate in the November 7 second round of polls.
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