Afghanistan Times
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AT News Report-KABUL: A wave of criticism by Afghan politicians followed the election commission’s announcement and UNAMA’s endorsement of “exaggerated figures” of registered voters amounting to nine million.
Political expert and critic of government’s voter registration figures, Shahzada Masoud,told Afghanistan Times that considering the deteriorating security scenario in many provinces, the report that nine million people have registered to vote countrywide is an exaggeration and an overstatement.
“Elections must be a nation-wide and transparent process; and in the face of the current status quo and voter registration fraud, a free and fair election will be a dead end,” he said.
A pre-election campaign already inundated with fraud will indeed lead to fraud in general elections, which will collectively nudge the country towards a more colossal crisis.
“If the government fails to run free, fair and nationwide elections, a traditional Loya Jirga where people would decide their fate would be the only remedy,” he argued.
“Since I saw the election process so tainted and harmed by the unhindered meddling of the government, I gave up my candidacy bid in this round of elections,” said member of the Wolesi Jirga Abdul Wadod Paiman.
The government has exaggerated the number of registered voters, he said, arguing that as long as the government follows contradictory policies, elections won’t be nationwide.
