PARAKH (PAN): Supporters of a provincial council candidate in northern Panjsher province pelted stones at the office of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) to register their protest against alleged rigging in recent elections. Led by provincial council candidate Aulia-e-Amoor, the protestors, chanted slogans against the election commission and its officials in the provinceâ€.†Talking to Pajhwok Afghan News, Aulia-e-Amoor said around 1,000 people participated in the demonstration. He claimed the Electoral Complaints Commission had invalidated 4,280 of his ballots while the IEC nullified another 800 votes cast for him. He said the protestors marched from the district centre to the office of the commission and asked officials to negotiate the issue with them. He added some demonstrators attacked the office after the officials refused to talk to them. The protestors warned if their demands were not heeded, the people would again stage a demo and responsibility for any harm would lie with the government. Noor Muhammad Hanifi, in charge of the IEC office in the province, said number of the protestors was more than 100. He confirmed they pelted stones at the office as he came out for talks. Shah Agha, a resident of the area, alleged Aulia-e-Amoor was involved in election fraud. Of the 53 candidates for the nine provincial council seats, five men and three women were elected in the August 20 polls.††dk/mud
