KABUL (PAN): Residents of Kabul province expressed optimism by saying they would participate in the upcoming elections and vote in favour of fair candidates.
However, people of the insecure areas expressed their concern that deteriorated law and order would hamper vote turn round.
Following views are expressed by residents of Kabul city and district about upcoming elections.
Government employee: I will participate along with my family in the upcoming elections:
Hashmatullah Bayan, an employee of parliament (Wolsi Jirga) said that election was a democratic process and he along with his family would participate in the ballots to appoint fair candidates for the presidential and provincial council candidates.
The countrymen should make every effort to make the elections a successful event in larger national interests, he said, adding it was necessary to evaluate the earlier performance of every candidate in a move to elect fair people.
An NGO employee: I do not think there is any suitable candidate to vote for:
Zahra Mosavi, an employee of NGO said she neither vote in the past nor interested to vote in the coming presidential and provincial council candidates.
She said the country had no election rather powers were distributed among few people who decided fate of the country.
There is not a suitable candidate among presidential contenders for whom I vote, said, adding that she did not trust on elections process in the country.
A government employee: I will vote in larger national interests.
Mohammad Radminsh, an employee of National Defense Ministry said he was eager to vote in the upcoming election and it was a democratic procedure as the country direly needed fresh elections.
He said he cast his vote in the past and was willing to vote in the future as well.
Teacher: Elections are mandatory in larger interests of the country:
Adelah, a teacher and resident of Kabul city said election were essential for the future of the country and she was willing to participate in the upcoming elections along with her family.
She said she persuaded her teachers and students to take part in the ballots with their families.
A student: I will vote when I achieve the required age:
Idris Ahmad, a student and resident of Kabul city said he had one year left for getting eligibility age to vote. He said he visited the voting registration centers several time but he couldn’t get the voting registration card because of his age.
A farmer: I will take part in the upcoming elections if the government launches development projects in his district.
Toor Gul, a farmer of Khak-e-Jabar district said government did not launch development projects in his district during the past ten years, saying the residents of Khak-e-Jabar were suffering due to problems in the education, health and transportation sectors.
He said that he would not vote until the government launched development work in the district.
A shopkeeper: Voting registration centers are yet to be established:
Baz Mohammad, a shopkeeper and resident of Khak-e-Jabar district said that voting registration centers were not established in the remote areas of the districts with the exception of a single office in the district capital where residents of far-flung areas had no access.
According to him, residents of Khak-e-Jabar district were deliberately kept away from voting cards because authorities did not want their participation in elections.
A tribal elder: Everyone should participate in elections:
Alhaj Abdul Wali, a resident of Sarobi district said that it was the right of every citizen to participate in the elections. He said voting registration centers did not exist in the far-flung areas of the district and people had not access to the offices.
A taxi driver: I have no knowledge about elections:
Abdul Qadir, a taxi driver in Kabul city demanded government should create employment opportunities. He went on to say that he had no information about elections although he hears from friends that elections would be held and a new president was going to take charge of the country affairs.
Qadir said he did have any interest in elections.
A widow: I do not want to participate in elections:
Afghan Gul, a resident of Da Afghan area in Kabul city whose husband was killed in a suicide attack said that she was suffering from economic problems.
The mother of three said she found it difficult to feed her children.
She said that her children achieved the age of 18 and they had neither got voting registration cards nor they were interested to vote.
A retired teacher: I will participate in elections along with my family:
Muhayyudin, a resident of second municipality district of Kabul city and a retired teacher said that he would participate in the upcoming elections along with his family. He went on to say participation in elections was mandatory for every Afghan.
He said it was important to participate in the polls for the survival of democratic system.