Officials meddling in polls to be sacked: Karzai

KABUL): President Hamid Karzai on Saturday asked government officials and foreigners not to middle in presidential and provincial elections, warning violators of removal from jobs.

Addressing a press conference in Kabul, the president said all candidates, having friends and supporters, should use their own resources in campaigns. No one was allowed to use the government machinery, he added.

“I had a meeting with Independent Election Commission (IEC) officials last week. I asked both electoral bodies to inform me if any governmental official misuse his authority or government resources,” Karzai said.

Previously, the IEC had also warned government servants to avoid meddling in the electoral process; otherwise they would be exposed to the media.

IEC Secretary Ziaul Haq Amarkhel had said: “We would never let any government official misuse his position influence the elections, or campaign for or against any candidate. The IEC would reveal their identities.”

At the press conference, the president renewed his promise that the elections would take place on schedule. But he hastened to stress the process should be free of interference from government officials and foreigners.

In response to a query, Karzai said his brother Qayyum Karzai had jumped into the race of his own volition. “If he had asked me, I would told him not to contest the polls.”

However, he explained Qayyum Karzai being an Afghan reserved the right run for the election and enjoy all constitutional freedoms and protections.

mds/mud